Lewis Stanton, also known as Hone Ma Heke, who was injured in a chemical attack at the entrance of the Nelson City Council building this morning, says he can’t understand why someone would commit such a cowardly act.
Hone was admitted to Nelson Hospital this morning with solvent burns to his mouth and throat after the attack at around 6.45 this morning. He has been sleeping outside the council’s Trafalgar St offices as part of a protest since his belongings were seized from outside the Nelson District Court on June 13.
“It’s not the first time things have been done to me but this is the lowest of the low,” Hone said from his hospital bed today.”Somebody obviously is so cowardly that they can’t stand up and face me and say what they have to say – it’s really hiked the stakes now.”
Hone says he was woken by the attacker after feeling something wet drop onto his head. He did not know the attacker who ran off when Hone woke up.
“It certainly woke me up. There was just the one of them and they didn’t say anything. He poured something into my mouth and then ran off.
“All I felt was a drop on my head and I knew it wasn’t rain because I was sheltered and I opened my eyes and there he was scarpering. And then when I put legs out of bed I was breathing in fumes – I can breathe a lot easier than I could earlier this morning”
Police are investigating the “cowardly attack”.
Constable Nick Kempthorne said Police are treating the attack extremely seriously. “This is a cowardly attack with potentially serious consequences and we are very keen to find out who is responsible,” he said.
Police would like to speak to anyone who was in the area of the Trafalgar St – Halifax St intersection about that time who has any information that may help identify the offender. Police would also like to hear from anyone who has CCTV footage of the stretch of Trafalgar St between Bridge St and Halifax St.
Hone has had a running battle with the Nelson City Council after refusing to pay more than $145,000 in parking fines he received for leaving his horse and cart in council car parks.
Hone has been arrested a number of times and was sentenced to two months in prison in December for refusing to do community work. He has maintained that council abused his human rights when it issued him with a trespass notice banning him from nearly all public land in Nelson.
Anyone with information should call Constable Kempthorne Ph 5463840. Information can also be given by calling Crimestoppers Ph 0800 555 111.
