Rugby fans, protesters ‘almost friendly’

Press, 29 May 1985, Page 40

Rugby fans, protesters ‘almost friendly’

PA Auckland Relations between antitour protesters and rugby supporters are “amazingly cordial and almost friendly,” says the secretary of the No Tour ’B5 Coalition, Ms Susan Nixon. “I can’t quite understand it,” she said. “They are certainly not as hostile and I am not sure whether to put this down to a shift in opinion. I think some of the people who went to the Auckland-England match were opposed to the tour.” Rugby supporters now expected protesters at matches and seemed goodnatured about them, she

said. Anti-tour protesters handing out leaflets to spectators around Eden Park on Saturday mostly were greeted with polite “no thank yous.” Some rugby supporters, annoyed at being turned back at police barriers, had become abusive. Ms Nixon said that No Tour ’B5 would seek a meeting with the police on Thursday to discuss Saturday’s confrontation and future tour marches. Group leaders had been “too busy” to meet the police as requested last week, she said. The chairman of the

Auckland Rugby Union, Mr Malcolm Dick, said rugby spectators behaved with restraint as he had expected. "Behaviour was excellent at all times,” he said. A police spokesman, Senior-Sergeant Trevor Tozer, said no complaints had been received. Several police were bruised in the Bellwood Avenue confrontation and one involved in an alleged assault was having "a bit of a rest from duty.” Hart's leader, Mr John Minto, said he wished the police would “get out of the way” and let protesters get on with lawful demonstrations.