Rugby Tour Protests On Sharpeville Day

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32252, 21 March 1970, Page 1

Rugby Tour Protests On Sharpeville Day

tA'cu’ Zealand Press Association' AUCKLAND. March 20. ' About 1000 people protesting against the proposed All j Black tour of South Africa marched up Queen Street, Auckland, i last evening. '•

The demonstrators, many of whom carried placards, also drew attention to the tenth anniversary of the Sharpeville killings in South Africa.

. The march was organised by the Halt All Racist Tours Organisation, the Press Association reports. At Albert Park organisers read out telegrams of support and congratulations for their campaigp. Telegrams will be sent to the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake), the New Zealand Rugby Union, the South African Rugby Board and the Prime Minister of South. Africa (Mr Vorster). In Hamilton yesterday Waikato university students, ministers, businessmen and

housewives marched through the city's main thoroughfare in protest against apartheid and the All Black tour. Students among the 300 marchers distributed copies of the university magazine “Nexus.” Some workmen burnt their] copies and threw the remains at the marchers and other copies were torn to shreds! by angry bystanders.

Two hundred marchers under the banner of the Citizens’ Association for Racial Equality defied the Christchurch City Council last evening. When the council issued a permit for them to gather in Latimer Square and march to Victoria .Square, it said that they should go along Armagh Street. Instead, the marchers went along Worcester Street to

. Manchester Street then along Cashel Street and High Street before walking through the Square and along Colombo Street to Victoria Square. Before leaving Latimer Square the organisers of the march told those who had gathered not to spread across the carriageway as they would block traffic. They were there to mark the anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre, but they should also obey all reasonable directions of the traffic authority. Marchers carried banners which said “No apartheid here,” “Christchurch Welcomes Keino, Asati, Dyce” and “Black and white make right.”

The march was quiet and orderly and some persons joined in as they walked to Victoria Square. In Wellington observers of the Sharpeville anniversary marched to the South African Embassy, and later from the Wellington Citizens’ War Memorial to a church in Willis Street where a special service was held. People in the processions, which were orderly, also protested against the Rugby tour of South Africa.