Wellington Mayor calls out local after 'racist' email

Wellington mayor Justin Lester. Photo: ODT Files

Mayor of Wellington City Justin Lester has called out a "racist" local after he received an email spouting abuse against immigrants and Muslims.

Yesterday Lester took to Twitter raising his disappointment over the email which was sent on Sunday.

In the angry email titled "Racial abuse cuts both ways", the person takes aim at a family speaking Hindi, points the finger at the mayor for not listening to locals over immigration fears and blames them as the reason why 51 Muslims died in the Christchurch terror attack.

"I received the below from a local resident I know well, which makes it even more disappointing," Lester wrote on Twitter.

"Strangely the individual themselves is an immigrant. They came from an Anglo-Saxon country to live here in NZ, which is great.

"Their rant isn't about immigration. This is racism."

The email reads:

"Mayor, you said 'I was greeted by a shocking story when I got to work today. A colleague explained how last night on the train between the Railway Station and Ngauranga, a teenager abused and berated a fellow Wellingtonian, who was politely speaking Hindi on his phone to his wife'.

"Now I wonder why she did that? Could it be because politicians like you have turned a deliberately deaf ear to complaints over the sheer number of immigrants while spouting out the 'all are welcome' to people who change our communities and refuse to follow New Zealand law/customs?

"In case you pretend NOT to understand I mean Asians and Muslims. You and Prendergast have been one in trying to get immigrants regardless of what we the public say and, like in Hong Kong, keep up the 'deafness' long enough and you will get this sort of behaviour.

"I think that's the real reason why 51 Muslims died in Christchurch despite all the 'white supremacy' bulldust spouted by the apologists for the open-door policies. People simply get desperate and then some get violent when not listened to.

"I personally don't agree with attacking or abusing immigrants, but I expect to be able to tell them they are NOT welcome without public critique from you."

Lester's response to the letter has been welcomed by Kiwis around the country with many praising the Mayor for calling out the people behind the "racist" letter.

"Well done for calling this racist out," one person wrote.

Another said: "Gross, what a nasty piece of work. Thank you for calling that sh** out."

"'This is racism.' Thank you for clarifying. I come from a country where leaders do not clearly call this out, so I really appreciate this."

Others took aim at the person who wrote the letter, dumbfounded they're trying to justify the mosque shootings.

"People simply get desperate and then some get violent when not listened to'. This man really tried to justify the Mosque Shooting," one wrote.

"Did they....just.. try.. to.... justify the mosque shootings by saying words to the effect of 'sometimes, you have just had enough'. Holy s***. I hope they are on a watch list now."

The mayor's tweet has received close to 400 likes with hundreds more supporting his response on Facebook.

Lester's response comes just days after he praised the public response to a racist incident on a train on Thursday.

Lester said he was disgusted to hear about the behaviour.

"I was really disappointed and quite frankly embarrassed," he told the Herald.

But in his post, Lester said what happened next made him "incredibly proud to be Mayor of this city".

"Other passengers intervened and came to the man's defence. A Metlink staff member stopped the train because the abuse continued. They called the police and the offending person was taken away.

"The staff member returned after a 20-minute delay and made a beautiful speech about how this behaviour is never acceptable in NZ. That after 15 March this was even more important today."

Lester thanked all those involved for standing up for another and calling out racism.

"It warmed my heart and made me think this is wonderful because the message is getting across and people are willing to stand up and be brave," he said

"A huge thank you to the Metlink staff member for your leadership and being a wonderful example to others.

"He not only settled the situation and acted appropriately and responsibly, but he then was courageous enough to stand up in front of a carriage load of passengers and say why this behaviour is inappropriate."