'terrorist' crackdown in new zealand

[socialistfuture]

17 activists arrested, denied bail. 300+ Police raid houses across the country

In a wave of massive state repression, 300+ Police, in many cases armed, raided houses around the country today making 17 arrests. Search warrants were carried out in Auckland, Whakatane, Ruatoki, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch. Police are also seeking up to 60 people for questioning. The arrestees are all activists in the Tino Rangatiratanga, peace and environmental movements.
Prominent Tino Rangatiratanga activist Tame Iti was among the first arrested at his home at 4am Monday morning. At 6am raids were carried out at A Space Inside anarchist social centre in Auckland [ Search Warrant ] and the 128 activist Community Centre in Wellington [ Video of police raid ]. In Tuhoe Country, the town of Ruatoki was blockaded by armed police for several hours, with no cars allowed in and many searched, including a school bus full of children.



14 of the arrestees appeared in court hearings in Auckland, Rotorua and Wellington this afternoon and were all refused bail. All but two recieved name supression. They have all been charged under the Arms Act with various offences relating to alleged possesion of various firearms and ammunition. More charges may be added in the future.
Stand In Solidarity!

Everywhere: Any letters emailed to lettersforprisoners[at]riseup[dot]net will printed out and distributed to arrestees. Obviously don't write anything that could negatively impact on you or anyone else!
Auckland: A solidarity group has been formed, and will meet next on Thursday. Details to come.
Lower Kaimai: A weekend has been organised to discuss and organise in solidarity with the arrestees [ Callout ].
Wellington: A meeting to "constructively discuss a reaction" will be held on Tuesday at 7:30pm at 128 Abel Smith St and a solidarity demonstration will be held at Wellington District Court at 2pm Wednesday.
Christchurch: A solidarity protest will be held in Cathedral Square on Tuesday at 5pm. There will also be another demonstration in Cathedral Square at 12noon on Saturday.
Melbourne, Australia: Demonstration in support of the arrestees Tuesday, 11am at the Consulate-General of New Zealand, Suite 2, North Level 3 350 Collins Street. Report and photos

www.indymedia.org.nz

[redarmyfaction38]

Originally posted by socialistfuture@October 17, 2007 11:41 pm
17 activists arrested, denied bail. 300+ Police raid houses across the country

In a wave of massive state repression, 300+ Police, in many cases armed, raided houses around the country today making 17 arrests. Search warrants were carried out in Auckland, Whakatane, Ruatoki, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington and Christchurch. Police are also seeking up to 60 people for questioning. The arrestees are all activists in the Tino Rangatiratanga, peace and environmental movements.
Prominent Tino Rangatiratanga activist Tame Iti was among the first arrested at his home at 4am Monday morning. At 6am raids were carried out at A Space Inside anarchist social centre in Auckland [ Search Warrant ] and the 128 activist Community Centre in Wellington [ Video of police raid ]. In Tuhoe Country, the town of Ruatoki was blockaded by armed police for several hours, with no cars allowed in and many searched, including a school bus full of children.



14 of the arrestees appeared in court hearings in Auckland, Rotorua and Wellington this afternoon and were all refused bail. All but two recieved name supression. They have all been charged under the Arms Act with various offences relating to alleged possesion of various firearms and ammunition. More charges may be added in the future.
Stand In Solidarity!

Everywhere: Any letters emailed to lettersforprisoners[at]riseup[dot]net will printed out and distributed to arrestees. Obviously don't write anything that could negatively impact on you or anyone else!
Auckland: A solidarity group has been formed, and will meet next on Thursday. Details to come.
Lower Kaimai: A weekend has been organised to discuss and organise in solidarity with the arrestees [ Callout ].
Wellington: A meeting to "constructively discuss a reaction" will be held on Tuesday at 7:30pm at 128 Abel Smith St and a solidarity demonstration will be held at Wellington District Court at 2pm Wednesday.
Christchurch: A solidarity protest will be held in Cathedral Square on Tuesday at 5pm. There will also be another demonstration in Cathedral Square at 12noon on Saturday.
Melbourne, Australia: Demonstration in support of the arrestees Tuesday, 11am at the Consulate-General of New Zealand, Suite 2, North Level 3 350 Collins Street. Report and photos

www.indymedia.org.nz

interestingly, prior to the southern hemisphere version of the g8 summit, many socialists and anarchists were arrested under a "prevention of terrorism" kind of law in australia to try and prevent protest.
seems like the international capitalist state has got us well stiched up

[socialistfuture]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/feature/story.cf...jectid=10470604
Pensioner feels violated by police raid
5:00AM Thursday October 18, 2007
By Beck Vass


Clive Martin. Photo / Ross Brown

Anti-'terror' raids

A Tauranga pensioner feels "violated" after armed police stormed his home, "trashed" the place, and left with three jackets and an air rifle.

Clive Martin, 67, said he learned from neighbours that the armed offenders squad had raided his property on Tuesday afternoon while he was out.

His home is one of dozens police are searching as part of a massive operation after the discovery of alleged weapons training camps in the Bay of Plenty.

Police have so far made 17 arrests.

Mr Martin's Redmond St home was left with a smashed window, a broken window latch and a mess in his shed after the raid. He said he was upset when he found a 20-page search warrant sitting on his table stating there "is reasonable ground for believing" there were items inside which were an offence relating to either "participating in a terrorist group", or the unlawful possession of firearms or restricted weapons.

The warrant stated the home could contain clothing from "camps" in January and June this year, which Mr Martin said he had no involvement in.




\Other items suspected of being at the property are detailed on the warrant's four-page list of military-style equipment, some of which has appeared on the internet auction website Trade Me.

Mr Martin said he had no idea why his home was searched and was "gutted" police had linked him to people potentially involved in terrorist crimes.

"It is a big mystery and I feel violated. As far as I'm concerned, I've been violated," he said. "They've trashed my house. I just vacuumed it out - there's dirty mud all over the floor. They've trashed my shed, they've trashed my linen cupboard."


Police took an old oilskin jacket, a raincoat, a polarfleece jacket and magnets that he used to hold loose change. They also took an air rifle.

Mr Martin said he did not own a computer and he had used Trade Me only once, to buy a van.

Bay of Plenty police media spokesman Andrew McAlley could not comment specifically on the raid on Mr Martin's home but said further search warrants were yet to be executed around the country.

Trade Me trust and safety manager Dean Winter said he could not comment on the website's involvement in the police operation because it was before the courts.

However, he warned users of the site: "We do work closely with the police and I think that you'd be naive to think that the police didn't monitor the site. In fact we would encourage that because the more they can do to help us keep the site safe the better it is for us."

[chebol]

Aoteara:I'm not buying it!

Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou Ake Ake Ake
Always Was Always Will Be Aboriginal Land.

Sina Brown-Davis
Te Roroa, Te Uriohau, Fale Ula, Vava'u

+61 3 94058449
uriohau(at)gmail.com

URGENT APPEAL: Maori plea for support

Dear Friends, Colleagues and Family,

It is in great distress that I am urged to write this appeal and to inform our international community of the recent events that are happening within Aotearoa (New Zealand) social justice, environmental justice and indigenous movements.

For the past 60 hours Aotearoa activists have been subjected to home invasions,raids and interrogation under threats of terrorist activities against the state. The Crown has decided to employ its recent Terrorism Suppression Act to lock down on social justice activist, movers and shakers and this is now world wide news with many of our close friends and families houses (mine included) being invaded, possessions confiscated and charges being threatened which will allow for solid activists to be charged under the Terrorist Suppression Act that carries sentencing for life.

The ages of people currently under custody range from 18 – 64. Many of us being implicated in this investigation are young people trying to do good things for our communities.We are headed into an election year and these events are the largest scale operation headed by special operations from the head of states office. We have difficulty in understanding the timing for these invasions of our privacy except for political campaigning off of our backs.The indigenous movement for self - determination is what is being blamed by the media for instigating acts of terrorism.

The Police showed up at my house with files of my activities over years, my phones have been tapped for years, my house under surveillance and everything subject to their review. We have not been involved in any activities that could allow the police to make these claims and the distress they are causing for our families and children is devastating.

Right now we are fighting for friends in Police Custody to make bail. A number of these requests have been denied. A number of people are now been moved between prisons and I will be liaising with them and their families.

Court costs, travel costs, food costs and lawyer costs are above the heads of many of our people and we are asking for support from our communities both national and international to come to our aid in this time of need.'Terrorism' world wide has become a cause for unjust state intervention into the lives of many peoples committed to change and now we are seeing that reality play out here in our own backyards within our own community.

Please support us in anyway specifically:

* Sending your concerns against state interventions to Annette King, Minister of Police aking (at) ministers.govt.nz and to your local New Zealand Embassy's;-
* By sending financial support towards the Family Support Network to assist with food, travel expenses and Court costs and;
* By sharing our stories with your own networks.We have had some international support by indigenous brothers and sisters by way of protests on the streets outside the NZ Embassy's, we encourage any of you to organize and do the same. Thank you all for taking the time to hear what is happening for us here in Aotearoa, these are very troubling times.


For further information please refer

to:Indymedia NZ

Stuff NZ

Most of our Internet sites have been taken down also in relation to these chain of events however all responses and correspondence can be made through me.

Mauriora,

Kiritapu Allan Co – Director, Conscious Collaborations

www.conscious.maori.nz/
Collaborations

Related

* http://www.conscious.maori.nz/
* http://indigenist.blogspot.com/

[chebol]

Solidarity with the Urewera 17! Free them now!

from Aotearoa IMC

[Background]
Five arrestees appeared in the Rotorua and Wellington District Courts today, after yesterday evening's revoking of Jamie Lockett's bail in the Auckland High Court.

In Rotorua, Tame Iti was denied bail and will reappear on October 24th. In Wellington, four arrestees were expected to have a hearing on whether or not their cases would be moved to Auckland, but no decision was reached. All four will reappear on Friday for a bail hearing.

Around 4-5 people in Auckland have been questioned by police on Tuesday and Wednesday, although none have been arrested. It is extremely important that anyone called in for questioning has a lawyer present, and makes no comment whatsoever. There is no such thing as a harmless conversation when it comes to police questioning.

Solidarity events held across Aotearoa / NZ and Australia

Melbourne, Australia - 30 people gathered outside the NZ Consulate Tuesday morning to voice their opposition to the arrests. [ Report: 1 and 2 (with photos) ]

Christchurch - Around 80 people gathered in Cathedral Square Tuesday evening to send a message of support and solidarity to the arrestees, their families and friends and the people of Tuhoe. [ Flyer ] [ 3 Short Videos ]

Sydney, Australia - Wednesday morning saw 30 people protest outside the NZ Consulate-General. [ Report ]

Wellington - 200 people attended a demonstration was held today outside the District Court before four arrestees appeared inside. Some people wore stickers stating "terrorist sympathiser".

Stand in solidarity!

Everywhere: Any letters emailed to lettersforprisoners[at]riseup[dot]net will printed out and distributed to arrestees. Obviously don't write anything that could negatively impact on you or anyone else!

Auckland: A solidarity group has been formed, and will meet next on Thursday. Details to come.
Lower Kaimai: A weekend has been organised to discuss and organise in solidarity with the arrestees [ Callout ].

Christchurch: A solidarity demonstration will be held in Cathedral Square at 12noon on Saturday.

Sydney, Australia: Public meeting & demonstration on Thursday October 25th, 5:30pm outside NZ Consulate-General, 55 Hunter St, Sydney

Melbourne, Australia: A solidarity demonstration will be held Saturday 27th in Federation Square, 12noon.

At this stage, donations can be made to a defence fund organised by Global Peace & Justice Auckland. Identify the donation as being for the defence fund. 38-9000-0099726-00 GLOBAL PEACE & JUSTICE AKLD.

[chebol]

Also Why Thursdays’ anti-terrorism bill is bad for New Zealand