Wellington, Sep 20
New Zealand has passed tougher laws to ban gang insignia in all public places, and allow courts to issue non-consorting orders and police to stop criminal gangs from associating and communicating.
Legislation passed through Parliament on Thursday, to be effective from November 21, will provide police and the courts with additional tools to crack down on gangs that "peddle misery and intimidation throughout New Zealand," said Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith.
Greater weight will also be given to gang membership at sentencing, enabling courts to impose more severe punishments, Goldsmith said, adding that gang membership has increased 51 per cent over the last five years, alongside violent crime increasing 33 per cent, news agency reported.
"Repeat offenders continually convicted of displaying their patches in public will be subject to a new court order, prohibiting them from possessing any gang insignia either in public or private for five years," the minister said, adding that gang insignia being displayed from inside a private vehicle will also be covered by the patch ban.