Anti-Springbok tour protestors at Palmerston North, 1981
What do you know?
This old bugger actually led that march to Palmie. Going down the first street a little old lady ran down the footpath shouting "they've got guns, the cops have got guns". She was of course referring to the brand new K9 batons. We marched in peace, stopped on a dime and disregarded Cop leader Meurant as he tried his best to stir us up. Who needs blood.
quite a lot of the protesters were genuine in their beliefs ,but once the anarchists joined the protesting it all became anti establishment & the real reason we were protesting became a bit of a blur .
My father Tony was at the Palmerston North protests in 1981. He has told me some great stories about that tour as he followed the tour for some North island dates including the infamous game at the end of the tour in Auckland complete with low flying flour bombers.
He said that he remembers most vividly the fierce debate to be had at the local pub as the whole tour had definitely created some battlelines with regard to public opinion.
Earlier this year he showed me photos on his computer that a friend had taken at Eden Park during the final game. There were some excellent shots including one of a policeman in the process of ‘fending’ someone off with a baton. The whole tour was definitely one of our nations more notorious sporting moments.
He said that he remembers most vividly the fierce debate to be had at the local pub as the whole tour had definitely created some battlelines with regard to public opinion.
Earlier this year he showed me photos on his computer that a friend had taken at Eden Park during the final game. There were some excellent shots including one of a policeman in the process of ‘fending’ someone off with a baton. The whole tour was definitely one of our nations more notorious sporting moments.
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