AUCKLAND

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Protesters leaving Aotea Square on the march to MT Eden Prison today

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Rongomai Bailey, who was arrested in the Terrorism suppression case, speaks to protestors after the Anti Terrorism march made it's way from Auckland's Aotea Square to Auckland's Mt Eden Prison to protest recent Police raids and Terrorism Laws

CHRISTCHURCH

INDYMEDIA.ORG.NZ Report + Images

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Approximately 300 people marched in Christchurch for the second week in a row, in solidarity with those arrested and questioned over the past two weeks.

The energetic demonstration included haka by Tuhoe crew living in Christchurch, loud chanting, a sit down at an intersection, waiata, a wheelie-bin sound system and street theatre.

The protest began in Cathedral Square where a local anarchist spoke about the role of Police in our society, before the local Tuhoe kaumatua spoke to the crowd in both Te Reo Maori and English about the history of Tuhoe. A rousing and passionate haka by Tuhoe youth followed, and then the march set off down the street.

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The march wound its way through the city to chants of "Ka whawhai tonu matou - Ake! Ake! Ake!" amongst others. The march stopped in Cashel Mall, where street theatre was performed, with a Policewoman and an Armed Offenders Squad member arrested a number of people in the crowd and threw them in prison. Soon the support of the crowd saw the police chased away and the prisoners freed. The marched then went past the Police station (where Police were stacked up, apparently expecting us to stop there) and continued up Oxford Terrace til we reached an intersection where the crowd sat down.

After a few minutes sitting there, the march carried on to Victoria Square where people gathered on the grass, talked and ate kai provided by Food Not Bombs.

PALMERSTON NORTH

INDYMEDIA REPORT: Palmerston North raided speaks out at protest

As part of the Global Day of Action, around 100 people gathered today in Palmerston North. There were a number of speakers including long-time unionist and activist Dion Martin and also Te Anau, an activist and musician whose Palmerston North house was raided last week. He said he had just returned from a conference in Australia about Aboriginal rights and hip hop music. He said his house was searched and he was extensively questioned. He was not arrested.

He was asked if he knew Tama Iti. "I've seen him on the TV" he said, and "Police kept asking me - are you Tuhoe? Are you Tuhoe? Do you have links to Tuhoe?" to which he replied: "Dudes - I'm an ex-street kid from Manurewa."

The protest lasted one and a half hours and ended with waiata.

HOLLAND

INDYMEDIA REPORT + IMAGE: Solidarity Demo in Den Haag, Holland

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A demonstration was held today at the New Zealand embassy in Den Haag, The Netherlands, in solidarity with our sisters and brothers locked away on bogus charges.

One protester went into the embassy to voice their concerns and outrage against the actions of the New Zealand police and government, while the others handed out fliers to passers-by and held banners.

4 protesters were arrested for holding a demonstration without a permit but were later released.
Solidarity from Holland!

SWITZERLAND

INDYMEDIA REPORT: Solidarity with Tino Rangatiratanga in Geneva

Activists visited the New Zealand Enbassy in Geneva this morning. Although initially told that for human rights they should see the UN (!), they finally delivered this declaration.

A dozen activists brought the following declaration to the New Zealand Permanent Mission to the United Nations at midday this Friday. The activists represented three Genevan groups active in defense of indigenous rights and anti-globalisation struggles and announced their intention to organise a demonstration in downtown Geneva in the coming days.

Geneva, Switzerland
Friday, 0ctober 26, 2007

To the Prime minister of New Zealand, Helen Clark
To Police minister Annette King,
To the press,

By this statement, the Association Action Mondiale Contre la Mondialisation and the undersigned persons wish to strongly condemn the massive, indiscriminate and unjustified political repression unleashed on the Maori people by the New Zealand government.

This week, hundreds of masked, heavily armed "anti-terrorist" commandos sealed off and searched whole Maori communities, particularly traumatising their children (one commando even searched a schoolbus, pointing guns at kids!). As the Maori say, they are not the terrorists but those that are being terrorised! Seventeen or more activists have been arrested on the pretext of searching for arms, but the massive searches have uncovered nothing significant and the persons arrested (some of whom we have known personally here at the United Nations) are indigenous and antiglobalisation activists, not terrorists!

Quite evidently, in New Zealand as elsewhere, the worst suspicions concerning the so-called "Anti-Terrorist" laws are confirmed. Worldwide, terrorists attacks prove to be just an excuse to massively reduce civil liberties, the better to silence the growing resistance to neoliberal austerity programs, constantly growing economic inequalities and catastrophic social and environmental policies.

New Zealand will lose all claim to being a society respectful of indigenous and civil rights more generally if it does not immediately abandon this scandalous witchhunt.

With the protesters in New Zealand we call for the immediate release of all the victims of police repression!

Action Populaire Contre la Mondialisation (APCM)
Defensoría Internacional de los Derechos de los Pueblos, DIDEPU
Espacio Afroamericano

ENDS

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