National MP Carlos Cheung says election billboard in Three Kings deliberately set alight
National Party candidate Carlos Cheung reported that his election billboard in Mount Roskill was deliberately set on fire. The incident is being treated as a criminal act, and the party has condemned the vandalism as an attack on the democratic process.
Why it matters
Acts of political vandalism raise concerns about safety and intimidation during election cycles, potentially impacting democratic participation.
The billboard belonged to Carlos Cheung, National’s Mount Roskill candidate. Photo / Hayden Woodward
A National MP says a blaze that destroyed his election billboard in Auckland was “deliberately set”.
The billboard of MP Carlos Cheung, National’s candidate in the Mt Roskill electorate, caught fire in Three Kings shortly after midnight.
Cheung posted a photo of the hoarding fire on social media, condemning the behaviour and calling it “dangerous, reckless and completely unacceptable”.
“Last night, our election signage was deliberately set on fire after already being vandalised,” he wrote.
“This is not harmless behaviour. It is dangerous, reckless and completely unacceptable. Deliberately setting fire to signage can put people, property and the wider community at serious risk.
“You may disagree with our views. You may disagree with our candidates. But there is absolutely no place for vandalism, intimidation or criminal behaviour in our democracy.”
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