Heavy-handed policing of peace activists arrested on minor charges at last year’s arms fair will see 30 police witnesses called at a trial lasting two weeks.
A total of 16 people face charges for standing up against global weapons manufacturers including Lockheed Martin at the Wellington weapons fair.
“We were surprised that a crown prosecutor is also being brought in specially for the case for charges of trespass and obstruction,” said Gayaal Iddamalgoda.
“Freedom of speech and freedom of protest are part of New Zealand’s Bill of Rights, but the Police’s pursuit of this case is incredibly heavy-handed and seems clearly an attempt at intimidating people and stifling dissent,” said Gayaal.
“The police arrested people to shut down the protest and then told us that we would not be charged. This repression is happening at a time when the government has just committed $20 billion to new weaponry and has invited US and other navies to Auckland. It’s more important than ever that people in Aotearoa stand up for peace, and stand against this militarisation.”
Peace Action Wellington is joining Auckland Peace Action in organising public opposition to the international arms fair and navy visit to be held this November, in Auckland.
We have a bully in Government , police, and now Uncle Sam!!!!!
we are under attack from all corners and it looks like NZ is becoming a foreign owned state!!!!
It may look like Uncle Sam has arrived but he has been here for many years.
LBJ called by Ozzie, Holyoake was summoned and he went pronto, came back and a few days later cancelled subsidies on foods, did away with school milk and began cuts into the health system. He was a good boy and did as he was told.
NZ looked too socialist i Uncle Sam’s view.
The International Zionist Joe Biden came over to visit his brother in crime John Key but the purpose of his agenda is yet to be seen.
The protesters could act in a way that gave the police no cause to act, but there is no fun, headline or wank fest mileage in that though is there.
Protesting against a war machine surely should have no limits.
The war machine considers no one in its path.
Really John? Isis Philosophy
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