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Street Battle: Angry anti-Tour protestors advance towards the Red Squad cordon on Onslow Rd while a larger group waits and watches on Dominion Rd
John MercerSeptember 12, 1981
Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira
Auckland, New Zealand
Black and white photograph of several anti-Springbok tour protesters walking along Onslow Road. Some protesters are holding placards or protective helmets. Several large metal drums are scattered along the road.
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Details
- Title: Street Battle: Angry anti-Tour protestors advance towards the Red Squad cordon on Onslow Rd while a larger group waits and watches on Dominion Rd
- Creator: John Mercer
- Creator Lifespan: b. 1949
- Creator Nationality: New Zealander
- Creator Birth Place: New Plymouth, New Zealand
- Date Created: September 12, 1981
- Location: Mount Eden (Auckland, N.Z.)
- Physical Dimensions: 35 mm frame
- Subject Keywords: Rugby football - Political aspects, Protest movements., Racism in sports, Anti-apartheid activists, Anti-apartheid movements--New Zealand
- Type: Negative
- Rights: All rights reserved
- External Link: Auckland Museum: Collections Online
- Support: Polyester
- Wikipedia: Auckland Museum on Wikipedia
- Process: Gelatin silver
- Notes: Notes provided by John Mercer June-July 2021: My feeling at the time was that the missile throwers at the Walters St intersection forced the offensive action by the police. My impression was that these were mainly 'street kids' from Auckland aged 12 to 16 years old. And it was these kids, along with other older men and well leavened with angry frightened 'middle class' type protestors, that carried the fight on and on. A lot of 'stuff' can be seen on the road and pavements – including sticks, possibly fence palings, rocks pulled from the typically Auckland volcanic fences that line the local streets and 40 gallon drums rolled towards the police line. Debris, including rocks and stones, litters the road and there is uncertainty evident in the police lines. Just visible at centre right between police lines is the beginnings of a negotiation between police and a group of protesters – to what end I was not aware. Angry protesters advance towards the Red Squad cordon on Onslow Rd, a larger group waits on Dominion Rd. Note the 40 gallon drums that have been rolled at the police charges. The car at top LHS was later upturned by protesters who saw that it contained police equipment – and, according to comments at the time, a case of beer in the boot. Cromwell St is on the right at centre frame.
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