Far North mayor Wayne Brown is fuming over a complaint made about him to the Race Relations Conciliator.
Ngati Kahu leader Margaret Mutu says she has complained that the mayor incited a crowd to aggressive and racist behaviour at a meeting with land protestors at Taipa last month.
She says the mayor encouraged the mostly pakeha crowd, which insulted and taunted the occupation leaders as they tried to perform a powhiri.
Mr Brown says the accusation is outrageous.
He says the people with him became angry when a protestor wearing a mask lit fires in front of them - an action he says was hardly in keeping with a powhiri.
Mr Brown says the crowd surged forward and if he had not been there urging calm, there would have been a very serious confrontation.
He says Dr Mutu should apologise to him for her people's behaviour.
