Remembering the day the 1981 Springbok tour came to Taranaki stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Damian George and Bill Hickman13:46, Jul 29 2021
ROSA WOODS/Stuff
A fine day with light northerlies is on the cards for the capital this Thursday. (File photo)
Good afternoon Pōneke, here’s what’s in your
Dominion Post and what is happening around the city today.
1.30pm: This day 40 years ago, The baton incident Trevor Richards, one of the founding members of the anti-tour group Halt All Racist Tours, shares his memories of what the Evening Post called “Wellington’s darkest hour of the tour”. On this day, a march of more than a thousand Wellingtonians protesting against the presence of the Springboks in our country were attacked by baton-wielding police. People were left bloodied, requiring hospital care.
The birth of a movement that divided NZ – and changed us forever
Essay
As New Zealand marks 40 years since the Springbok tour that changed everything, we republish this essay by Trevor Richards, founding chairperson of Hart – Halt All Racist Tours.
Originally published in 2019, on the 50th anniversary of the anti-apartheid group’s formation.
It has been said that if you can remember the 1960s, you weren’t really there. No one is sure who it was that first said this. Robin Williams, Pete Townsend and Timothy Leary among others have all been credited, but it was probably none of them. It is a nice line, conjuring up some of the more colourful aspects – the drugs, sex and rock’n’roll culture – for which the 60s are renowned.
1981 Springbok Tour 40 years on: How Hamilton became a city of rage stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Former protesters were invited to bring along their signs and banners, if they still had them. Those keen to participate are invited to gather at Garden Place, as those opposed to the tour did before the match, at 1.30pm, before marching to Rugby Park – now known as FMG Stadium Waikato – at 2pm. At 3pm there will be speeches at the Bronze Lounge at the venue. Among those speaking are Ripeka Evans, who addressed the crowd in Garden Place 40 years ago; Halt All Racist Tours (HART) co-founder John Minto; and former HART deputy chairman Michael Law. The event is organised by Poverty Action Waikato, Go Eco, Palestine Human Rights Campaign Waikato, and Anglican Action.