Prime Minster Chris Hipkins is backing Greens co-leader Marama Davidson following her racist comments made on Saturday.

As first reported by Chris Lynch Media the Minister for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence was recorded on camera saying “I know what causes violence in this world and it’s white cis men.”

In a statement released on Monday afternoon, she said she had been hit while on a pedestrian crossing by a motorcyclist on Saturday morning, part of a “convoy of motorcyclists”.

“A short time after the incident, I was confronted by a representative from the far-right and conspiracy theory website Counterspin who was filming me walking down the road before accosting me with inflammatory questions.

“Still in shock, I was not as clear in my comments to the conspiracy theorists Counterspin as I should have been.”

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins told media said Marama Davidson’s comments were not appropriate.

She’d just been hit by a motorcycle. I don’t expect perfection from people and particularly not when they’ve just experienced a trauma like that.”

“She’s subsequently clarified her words and I accept the clarification that she has given.

I haven’t spoken to her directly about a form of words that she used that kind of came to light this morning. I did have a text conversation with her over the weekend when I discovered that she was at A&E.

I didn’t speak to her on the phone because when you’re sitting at A&E, a whole lot of phone calls isn’t necessarily the thing that you want right at that moment, but I did have a conversation with her Co-Leader James Shaw.”

Hipkins said there were conversations this morning between his office and Marama’s office.

“I certainly think it’s appropriate that she clarified the statement that she made and clarified the words.

It’s certainly my expectation as prime minister would be when someone has said something which has been interpreted in a way that they have not intended that they should clarify that as soon as possible.”

“But I think in the circumstances I think some leeway should be given to someone saying something which on reflection they felt doesn’t didn’t convey what they were intending to convey.”