Calls for Massey dean to be deported for speaking out against Charlie Kirk

When the Massey Communications dean chair posted a video calling out recently deceased Charlie Kirk, he was met with demands he is fired, and his family gets deported.

One person went so far as to report him to the police.  

But both professor Mohan Dutta and the Southland MP Joseph Mooney who confronted him are standing by their opposing positions.  

Days after the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, the professor posted a video to his X account on September 12th. The caption read: “Challenge the white supremacist propaganda turning the white supremacist Charlie Kirk into a martyr and a promoter of free speech.” 

He opened the three-minute-long video saying, “Right-wing political parties in Aotearoa, New Zealand are calling for the New Zealand parliament to pay homage to far-right white supremacist extremist, Charlie Kirk.” 

He highlighted Kirk's targeting of marginalised groups, including Kirk’s gun law position. He continued to say he disagreed with the image of Kirk presented as a ‘beacon of free speech’. 

Dutta later reposted a tweet of a user disappointed a Parliament tribute was declined, adding the caption: “Charlie Kirk is a white supremacist far right figure. That there was an attempt to pay homage to him in the NZ parliament should give you a full list of who the backers of the far right are in NZ mainstream politics.”   

This second post was one which Southland MP Joseph Mooney reposted, confronting Dutta for his views.  

The MP wrote: “In the spirit of the same free speech you’re enjoying to express your views, my view is that New Zealand doesn’t need a “Professor of Communication” at one of it’s universities encouraging this kind of divisive and hyper-politicised rhetoric following what appears to be the politicised assassination of a private citizen debating ideas on a university campus in the United States, and you should find yourself another job.”  

This post created a sea of keyboard warriors putting in their two cents — going so far as demand the Massey staff member, who is originally from India, is deported and fired.  

When approached by Massive, Dutta said the incident led to him being doxed and receiving a number of messages on his personal phone, office phone, work email, and Facebook messenger.  

On top of that, he said he had been reported to police by one member of the public. 

He found the comments and messages violent, and felt an apology was needed from Mooney following the incident. 

But amongst the media storm, Dutta said the university had been supportive, with school leadership quickly reaching out. “The vice chancellor reached out to me and said that I fully support your academic freedom and know that Massey is here to support your health and wellbeing. And please let us know what kind of safety you need.”  

The Education Act highlights freedom of expression in universities, with government initiatives in that last year aiming to strengthen these duties.  

Dutta spoke to an academic duty to be critics and conscience of society. “We speak truth to power, question injustices, and particularly so when others in public spaces and communities might feel that they don’t have the privilege to speak up.” 

Some commenters saw irony in the MP’s argument, as did Dutta. He felt the response to his opinion reflected the Trump administration and far-right politics in the US.  

“That was the main reason why I posted this to begin with, is that kind of thinking, where our democratic institutions don’t matter.” 

“If you look at what is happening in the US, this is exactly what is happening in terms of targeting professors, targeting students that are critical, trying to get them fired.”  

“Then you see that in this New Zealand ecosystem”. 

Dutta was concerned over the power politicians hold, particularly when they have large followings. He believed that this authoritarian structure undercuts the Education Act, and migration and citizenship rights, “throwing it all out the window”. 

The professor said political parties are memorialising Charlie Kirk to recruit a voter base that is anti-migrant, anti-woman, anti-LGBT, and xenophobic.  

Upon reaching out to MP Joseph Mooney, he stood by his tweet.  

“I am not calling for this University professor’s resignation — however I think he really needs to consider if he is in the right role if he thinks inflammatory rhetoric is the right way for a senior member of a New Zealand university to respond to someone being murdered on a university campus.”  

Mooney said there was no place for political violence in society, particularly at universities.  

“This professor chose to respond with inflammatory rhetoric that he also linked to New Zealand politicians. In my view, academic freedom doesn’t mean a license to make inflammatory statements without criticism.”  

“I was expressing my own views in the spirit of free speech — just as he was”.