November 03, 2022
Gang leader Knockers force for peace
Hundreds of members from gangs throughout the country are expected for the tangi this week of south Auckland Black Power leader Wiremu “Knockers” Allen.
Former Black Power president Martin Cooper, who was at the bedside when he died, says he has known him since he joined the gang in1977 after being a state ward.
He says Mr Allen was a member of Ngāti Kahu from Matangirau in the Far North.
“He touched a lot of the bros throughout the motu. Actually it was him and another old fellow who has also passed on, Gypsy, another founding member of Black Power, they sowed the seed for a lot of urban Māori who came to the city and were looking for a sense of belonging. It was the same as me. It was the same as the Mob,” Mr Cooper says.
He says Mr Allen earned the name Knockers from his fighting prowess in the early years of the gangs, but he matured into a gentle giant who did a lot to promote peace between the various gangs.