Protesters arrested outside hotel

Press, 21 August 1989, Page 24

Protesters arrested outside hotel

NZPA-AFP Durban Police arrested 15 protesters outside a beach-front hotel lodging the World XV rugby players on Saturday just hours before their first match against Natal. The police swooped on white and black protesters holding placards urging the players to leave South Africa.

Lawyers said the pro-

testers, including a handicapped woman, were refused bail. They would be charged with taking part in an ‘‘illegal gathering” and appear in court today. The police confiscated video tapes, cameras and tape recorders from journalists, as well as the instamatic film of an 83-year-old holidaymaker. The protesters handed a

letter to the hotel manager, Mr Richard Lander, for the international players here for the South African Rugby Board Centenary Celebrations. The NCS chairman, Mr Krish Mackerdhuj, said the letter outlined their strong opposition to the tour “based on our total-support for the international moratorium on sporting links with racist South Africa.”

He said the players were naive if they thought their presence in South Africa would speed up the end of apartheid. The squad’s Australian coach, Bob Templeton, arrived on the hotel steps during the demonstration but refused to comment. "I came here to play rugby mate, I have nothing to say,” he said.