Police feared firebombs during tour, jury told

Press, 13 April 1984, Page 6

Police feared firebombs during tour, jury told

PA Auckland The police wore overcoats which covered identification numbers on their uniforms during demonstrations against the Springbok rugby tour in 1981 because of a fear of firebomb attacks, the High Court at Auckland was told yesterday. Inspector Philip Arthur Keber, who commanded the Red Squad during demonstrations at Eden Park, said that early in the tour police intelligence had warned of'

the possibility of demonstrators throwing firebombs at the police lines. He said fire-safety experts had advised that if firebombs were thrown the police synthetic uniforms could ignite, causing far greater burns. Inspector Keber said the police were advised to wear woollen greatcoats which would not burn and could be thrown over anyone caught by a firebomb. He said that at the time of the tour identification numbers were available only for the standard police uniform. Subsequently, he said, numbers had been issued for all items of the police uniform, including greatcoats. Inspector Keber was answering a question from

the jury in a civil action before Mr Justice Prichard in which three protesters who were dressed as clowns are each suing the AttorneyGeneral in respect of the Police Department for $50,000 in damages. The plaintiffs are Jacques Monroe, a nurse aid, of Sydney, Glenn Brynley Spiller, a sheetmetal worker, of Auckland; and Janina Kaye Adamiak, a student, of Auckland. They allege that on September 12, 1981, the day of the third rugby test between the All Blacks and Springboks at Auckland, they were assaulted in Dominion Road by three unidentified policemen who struck them forcibly with long batons. The case will continue today.