Observers for four ‘violence’

Press, 11 May 1981, Page 6

Observers for four ‘violence’

PA = ■ * : Wellington The/Cbuncil for Civil Lib-, erties ' would recruit observers "to dampen violence againsU Springbok tour protesters, said the councils chairman, Mr R. Dunning, to defuse violence and provide independent and unbiased reports of any flare-ups been met favourably by the police. Logisitics was a problem in' T-e'cruiting observers. The council, was strong ' n land; Wellington, and Christchurch but would probably need to rail on other organlions to provide observers for matches held outside the maid centres. >. ; Observers had to Py; nared - to act - impartiallyShould not be: expected mhave nd vfews.cn the g but they. should not how ■ views so th y might be led to participa rather than observe.

Observers would not have access to private property without, the consent of its .owners and would not be able to enter areas where the police had imposed restrictions on access. It would not be an observer’s function to get in the way of the police. The council’s stance on the tour is that, in terms of principle, the Springboks ought not to be stopped from coming to New Zealand by the Government because the Rugby Football Union is a legally constituted body.