Kyle Chapman

Kyle Chapman (born April 27, 1971) was the former national director of the New Zealand National Front (NZNF). He was also a candidate for Mayor of Christchurch, first for the National Front, and then for the National Democrats Party.

Early life

Chapman was born in Taumarunui, New Zealand. He has said that he wanted to join the National Front from the age of 14, and that he was a skinhead during the 1980s and early 1990s. As a teenager he was a member of several skinhead groups. He was the founding member of the New Zealand Hammerskins. Over his time as a Skinhead he made major contributions to the skinhead movement in New Zealand. Several organizations were formed with his help to build a national unity in the fractured and conflict filled subculture. As part of a clean slate in 1995, he confessed to a series of politically-motivated arson attacks between 1987 and 1992, primarily education buildings and homes of known sex offenders. He was reported as saying he "wanted to make amends for the actions he had done as an out of control youth"

He is a qualified social worker, and worked in Christchurch from 1993 to 1997, dealing with youths involved in street subcultures. He also served as the youth worker representative on the Safer Community Council in Christchurch from 1996 to 1997.

Christchurch mayoralty

In 2004, he unsuccessfully contested the mayoralty of Christchurch, New Zealand, placing fifth out of 10 with 1.9 percent of the vote (1665 votes). In 2005, he resigned his high-profile role as the leader of the National Front. He said in interviews that his children were being shunned at school due to his activities. He also cited the harassment of left wing anti-NZNF groups as a factor in his departure. [ [http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3295927a11,00.html New Zealand news on Stuff.co.nz ] ] He has since been the tenth-ranked list candidate for the Direct Democracy Party. [ [http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3337449a6160,00.html] ]

He unsuccessfully contested the Christchurch mayoralty again in 2007, running this time under the National Democrats ticket.

urvive Club

In June 2006 it was discovered that Chapman was creating a nationalist militia. This was uncovered after an anti-racist activist, who was posing as a white nationalist, was sent information concerning the militia. He was quoted as saying that "the future of the movement" lay with the militia. Chapman is the founder and leader of the Survive Club. [ [http://www.surviveclub.org.nz Survive Club New Zealand ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3295927a11,00.html Sunday Star Times. "National Front leader Chapman resigns for his kids", 29 May 2005.]
* http://www.chapmanformayor.org.nz
* http://www.nationaldemocrats.org
* http://www.surviveclub.org.nz
* http://kylechapman.blogspot.com