Denis O’Reilly on gang patch ban

As readers will know Denis O’Reilly is a life member of Black Power. He was very critical of the gang patch ban. In Nov 24 he said:

Lifetime Black Power member Denis O’Reilly says the government’s gang patch ban won’t work, saying the police should concentrate on behavior instead.

Three months later:

Black Power kaumātua Denis O’Reilly acknowledged that the first three months of the ban had certainly been “miraculous”.

“We all anticipated consequences – I personally was afraid of a big clash – but the consequences seem to be that gangs have disappeared.

“For some of the indigenous gangs, it’s been an opportunity to reflect and ask themselves whether patches were what they wanted their gang membership to be characterised by, rather than a sense of whānau,” he said.

A good start.

Six months afterward in May 2025:

But Black Power life member Denis O’Reilly said gang members had been complying.

“Yes, it seems so far, so good… They’re not wearing them in public. That’s the thing. People are complying. So that confrontational thing hasn’t occurred.”

He said sightings of gang patches were “nil” in Hawke’s Bay where he lives. …

Black Power member O’Reilly believed the ban had left gangs at something of a crossroads. “There’s a bit of reflection going on,” he said. “And it is an opportunity, I think, to nudge people’s behaviour towards a more pro-social outlook.”

When asked if patches may be a thing of the past, he said “they may well be”.

So six months on in Hawke’s Bay was not patch free, and it was not an opportunity for a more pro-social outlook for gang members,.

And just a few months ago:

He said the Government’s patch ban had been “useful” in reducing aggravations between gang members, as well as with the public.

“It’s also given a number of people a chance to ask themselves why they’re wearing a patch and what that’s all about.

“Because they’re not having to wear a patch and not having to congregate in that way, many are asking themselves, ‘Look, what am I really on about? Is this my whānau or whatever?’”

So credit for allowing the facts to influence his opinion. He said it wouldn’t work, and now he says it has reduced aggravations between gangs, and between gangs and the public.