Tour protesters practise court sessions

Press, 23 September 1981, Page 1

Tour protesters practise court sessions

Anti-Springbok tour groups in Christchurch are holding mock court sessions to prepare protesters facing charges arising from demonstrations. Attendances had been high at the five sessions held, said the chairman of Coalition Against the Tour, Mrs Mary Baker. Anti-tour lawyers attending the mock courts had advised protesters, particularly those planning to conduct their own defence, on court procedure. Mrs Baker said the sessions had boosted the confidence of many protesters, some of whom were getting nervous and considering a plea of guilty “just to get it over and done with.”.

Pleas of guilty would defeat the purpose of the protests, which aimed to highlight the anti-apartheid struggle, she said. Some 370 protesters were arrested at protests in Christchurch. They face more than 600 charges, mostly about the blocking of carriageways. Mrs Baker confirmed yesterday that she had received summonses which alleged she encouraged lawlessness during two tour protests. The charges were additional to others she faced concerning the obstruction of carriageways. She was not aware of other Christchurch protest leaders being similarly charged.