Videos of Springbok protest shown to jury

Press, 21 July 1982, Page 15

Videos of Springbok protest shown to jury

PA Auckland Video film shown to the High Court in Auckland illustrated how an anti-Springbok tour protest march had “graduated into a riot,” the Crown prosecutor. Mr Peter Kaye. • told a jury hearing evidence against 14 defendants. The tapes showed the events of last September — groups of helmeted protesters marching towards police barricades set up in Mount Eden streets, scuffles between demonstrators and rugby supporters, and some scenes of fighting between police riot squads and protesters armed with shields, sticks, stones and flares. The courtroom had been filled virtually to overflowing with potential jurors, and after almost two hours and challenges to 56 of them, a jury was sworn to hear charges against 13 accused who pleaded not guilty to the single charge of causing riotous destruction of a police car in Onslow Road, Mount Edent, on September 12.

Another accused, Lance Darren McJarrow, aged 17, unemployed, of Sandringham, failed to appear, and the Court was told a warrant had been issued for his arrest.

The trial is the first in the High Court resulting from arrests during the Springbok tour, and could last up to three weeks. The video screens have • been installed on either side

of the courtroom so the judge and jury can view film footage of protests at the time of the alleged offence.

Mr Justice Sinclair told the jury of nine women and three men at the outset that they must disregard any opinions they might have formed on the Springbok tour, or anything they might have read or seen in the news media.

The case had to be judged on the full story presented in court only, he said. Opening the Crown case, Mr Kaye said that it would be shown how a protest march by demonstrators, which left Fowlds Park in Mount Eden on the day of the third Springbok test, graduated into a riot. A parked police car had been rocked to and fro and eventually tipped over on its roof, causing $3600 damage. Mr Kaye said that the trial became a question of involvement and of identification of the defendants. The basis of the Crown case would be that the damage to the vehicle was a group activity and that all of the defendants were involved as accomplices.

"You ■ will not hear evidence of any particular one of the defendants damaging the car,” he said.

Mr Kaye said that the jury must decide whether each person accused was at the scene of the offence, and if their presence amounted to encouragement or assistance. One of the first Crown witnesses called was Christo-

pher Nolan, a police photographer from Wellington, who said that he was a camera operator in one of the three police video teams recording incidents at Fowlds Park and Eden Park on the day of the test. Ten video tapes filmed by the police had later been edited down to four. Three of these have been viewed as evidence.

The 13 on trial are: Tonga Faapoi, aged 18. unemployed, of Parnell; Adrian Raymond Lee Reti, aged 18, gardener, Ponsonby, and Lane Phillip Gumick, aged 19, student, Epsom, who are represented by Mr David Abbott

Murray Wharara Kipikoi, aged 19, a labourer, of Te Atatu North: Pule Latoa Lio, aged 19, machinist, Kingsland: Va'a Lualua, aged 17, unemployed, Mangere, and Tigllau Ness, aged 26, unemployed, Grey Lynn, who are represented by Miss G. R. Anderson.

Michael John Oldenampsen, aged 19, labourer, Auckland; Paul Glynne Webber, aged 21, woodworker, Pakuranga; Joseph luli, aged 21, gardener, Grey Lynn, and Leslie Riiibin Howe, aged 21, unemployed, Auckland, who are represented by Mr Stanley Thorburn.

Maudi Hinengaro Hogan, aged 26 of, Orakei, and Tainui Joyal Pene, aged 25, a community worker, of Mangere, both of whom are presenting their own cases.