>>We have many problems in our country. The fact that we have statues that some find objectionable is WAY WAY WAY down on the list. I think this is what angers me the most - there are people in the world with legit grievances and most don't give a flying **** about a statue.

But it's easier to rearrange deck chairs than worry about what hitting an iceberg will do to you. ;-)

FWIW, although white people never kept slaves in NZ, there is a proud history of toppling symbols as a protest. In 1844 Hone Heke began chopping down the British flag at Russell to protest government actions. He ended up cutting it down 4 times. They kept replacing it and it's still there. In 1999, modern Maori protestor "Mike Smith" decided that chopping (chain sawing) down the iconic tree on One Tree Hill would be a good protest against a $1B fiscal envelope for outstanding Treaty claims.

I can't think of any racist statues being pulled down... in fact I can count on one hand, historic or current politicians who were accused of racism.

The French did once bomb a Greenpeace ship in Auckland harbour, killing one, but I don't think that counts.