The decision to ban the Falun Gong from Chinese New Year parade is deplorable, the Green Party Human Rights Spokesperson Keith Lock says.
Mr Locke joins the Maori Party and United Future in condemning the ban.
“We shouldn’t be bending to pressure from the Chinese Embassy, which represents a Government that severely persecutes this spiritual movement.
“When political expediency is put ahead of freedom of expression, a vital aspect of our society is being eroded,” Mr Locke says.