A Lions club in Taranaki is under fire for using blackface in a Christmas parade, then accusing people who complained about it as "too precious". Images of the Hawera Mt View Lions Club's float from yesterday's event show six people dressed as black minstrels, surrounded by black and white balloons. "How is parading around with a Hawera Mt View Lions banner attached to a trailer filled with Jim Crow characters even allowed?," Nganeko Eriwata wrote. "Hawera Mt View Lions do sincerely apologise for the impression we made at the parade last night. "The Hawera Mt View Lions Club needs to apologise for their actions she says, as well as acknowledge the issue and enter into discussions on how to remedy it.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 17, 2018 04:11 UTC