Anarchia

Just finished this feature for Aotearoa Indymedia:

Across the world, people demand freedom for political prisoners!

The Global Day Of Action in solidarity with those arrestes, harassed and questioned on and since October 15th has seen over 2000 people take to the streets across Aotearoa, while overseas, solidarity protests took place in many other parts of the world.

Auckland saw around 1000 people take to the streets of the central city, then march to the Remand Prison in Newmarket where many of the prisoners are being held. The protest was addresses by Rongomai Bailey, recently released on bail, amongst others. [ Report + Photos ] [ Photos + Video ]

Hamilton saw around 300 people protest in solidarity with the arrestees. [ Report + Photos + Video ]

Palmerston North saw around 100 people gather, with a speech from a local activist who was questioned by police. [ Report ] [ Report + Photos ]

In Wellington 450 people marched from Midland Park, past the Central Police Station where they were entertained by street theatre. The march ended in Civic Square for a rally with speakers, musicians, and Food Not Bombs. [ Report ] [ Report + Photos + Audio ]

Christchurch had 300 people marching, with street theatre and haka performed by local Tuhoe. The protest finished with a picnic. [ Report + Photos ]

Overseas, 4 people were arrested (and later released) at a solidarity demo outside the NZ Embassy in Den Haag, Holland [ Report + Photos ]. A dozen people visited the NZ Embassy in Geneva, Switzerland, to voice their protest [ Report ]. Approximately 70 people gathered in Melbourne, Australia to show their solidarity and support for those imprisoned [ Report + Photos ]. About 15 people gathered outside the NZ High Commission in London. [ Report ] A group demonstrated outside the NZ Consulate in Athens. [ Report + Photos ]

If you attended a demonstration (especially one without a report), please write up a report (and post any photos/video you may have) here at Aotearoa Indymedia.

Stand In Solidarity!

The global day of action is not the end. Keep showing your support for the prisoners, their whanau and friends! For more events, check out the Civil Rights Defence events calendar.

• Everywhere: Any letters emailed to lettersforprisoners[at]riseup[dot]net will printed out and distributed to arrestees. Obviously don’t write anything that could negatively impact on you or anyone else! If you can help with processing these letters, please email the crew on the same address. For more information, see http://www.civilrightsdefence.org.nz.
• Auckland: “Waha Nui” fundraiser for whanau of prisoners, Sunday 28 Oct at 6pm @ Te Karanga Gallery, 208 Karangahape Rd; films, music, korero, koha entry.
• Wellington: Prisoners support and campaign organising meetings every Tuesday, 6pm, at 128 Abel Smith St. A range of solidarity events are coming up. [ Upcoming events ].
• Christchurch: A benefit gig has been organised for Thursday 1st November at the Wunder Bar in Lyttelton. [ Poster ]
• Dunedin: Picnic on Sunday Oct 28th to discuss the Terrorism Supression Act, Tuhoe history and Parihaka. 12 noon - 2:30pm, Otago Museum Reserve. [ Press releases 1 | 2 ]

Updates

Saturday - A 32 year old woman was granted bail in the Auckland District Court yesterday. The woman, a dancer, has name supression. Another of the accused, Aotearoa Indymedia activist Omar Hamed, is scheduled for a bail hearing on Monday 29th, but it is understood this may be postponed.

Sunday - A new Te Kotahi o Tuhoe website has been published to replace two previous Tuhoe websites shut down by the police when they removed the server hosting them, as well as Tino Rangatiratanga forum site AoCafe. This attack on Maori freedom of speech and association has been remarkably absent from mainstream media coverage of the dawn raids of Monday 15 Oct.

About 80 people attended a picnic in Dunedin to hand in their incendiary avocados in protest against the erosion of basic freedoms, such as freedom from unreasonable search and seizure.

Monday - One of the arrestees, Marama Mayrick, has been granted bail! She has also had name suppression lifted.