WHAT:

Prison abolitionist community group People Against Prisons Aotearoa has called for a demonstration to protest the Government’s announcement of a $1.9 billion megaprison in Waikeria. The protest will call for the Government to cancel the prison construction and the planned return of Three Strikes, investing in social services instead. Invited experts will give speeches explaining why it is important to mobilise against mass incarceration.

WHEN:

Saturday May 25th, from 1pm.

WHO:

Confirmed speakers:

Emmy Rākete, People Against Prisons Aotearoa’s press spokesperson and lecturer in Criminology at the University of Auckland (available for interview)

Tamatha Paul MP, Green Party justice spokesperson

Dylan Asafo, Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland Law School

WHERE:

Mount Eden Prison, Auckland, corner of Lauder Road and Normanby Road

BACKGROUND:

People Against Prisons Aotearoa has called for a community campaign to oppose the expansion of the prison system, including the construction of the megaprison and the return of Three Strikes. PAPA believes that these policies are regressive, proposed by a Government pleading poverty in order to justify austerity for the poor while overseeing a massive wealth transfer to the rich through tax cuts and subsidies. The group aims to pressure the government to abandon its plans to spend $1.9 billion on prisons when that money could go to universal services such as housing, employment, healthcare and education.

The goal of the protest is to bring together members of the community, experts, and organisations to discuss why they oppose the Government’s justice policy. From there, participants will discuss next steps in preventing the megaprison.

There will be a crowd of people who will probably be open to giving vox pops, holding signs, and chanting - the mood will be dramatic, interesting, confrontational but non-violent. At least one MP will be in attendance, with the probability that there will be more, their schedules allowing. Emmy has extensive media experience and is a confident, radical spokesperson. Tamatha will give the Green Party’s reasoning for opposing the Government’s policies. Dylan will explain his professional opposition to the megaprison as a critical legal scholar.

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