Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

It’s hard to believe we are still watching the war raging between Russia and Ukraine unfold in front of us.It feels desperate and helpless, and almost perverse to watch this play out while we can do so little about it.It’s utterly heartbreaking.But also heartbreaking is the fact ignorant New Zealanders are deciding now’s the time to attack Russians living here.I cannot believe that people think this has anything to do with them – just because they are Russian. It’s abominable.I was horrified to read a headline at the weekend that said “Russian Kiwis in Auckland say they’re encountering abuse and harassment in the wake of the invasion”. The report says they’re feeling excluded like they should hide their nationality, their children are getting bullied at school. As one of the Russian Kiwi Mums said, “The war is not about us, we are just normal people who live in New Zealand and pay taxes.”A Russian Church was vandalised, as well as a shop selling Russian goods.These are senseless ignorant acts done by people w