International Socialists

The movement against the war on Iraq was truly inspiring. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets, with demonstrations in Wellington being the biggest since the anti-nuclear protests of the mid 1980s – and the most militant since the 1981 Springbok Tour.

This militancy has been matched by the desire of the police to do all they can to intimidate, attack and undermine the anti-war movement. So far, over 30 people have been arrested in connection with anti-war protest action in Wellington this year. Some of the more ridiculous charges have been dropped, but most are still before the courts.

Two Wellington anti-war activists – Paul Hopkinson (a member of the Anti-Capitalist Alliance), and ISO member Dougal McNeill – were charged after they burnt Australian and New Zealand flags in Parliament grounds during a peaceful protest against John Howard’s visit on March 10. The charges are entirely politically motivated – aimed at frightening people out of protesting and tying up leading members of the anti-war movement in legal defence campaigns.

Paul was charged under the Flags, Emblems and Names Protection Act, a repressive piece of legislation introduced by the Muldoon National government in 1981 as part of its attack on the anti-Springbok Tour movement. The charge against Paul is believed to be the first of its kind under the Act. Dougal has been charged with criminal nuisance after he burnt an Australian flag at the same action.

Two other members of the Anti-Capitalist Alliance were arrested in connection with the flag burning, and prominent Wellington anarchist Mark Eden was arrested for “obstruction” – as he and Paul were leaving the protest!

The incident itself took place at a loud but peaceful protest attended by around 1000 people. After John Howard had left, police made a series of highly provocative arrests – with police snatch squads grabbing protesters earlier identified as “ringleaders” during the action. The police had made no attempt to arrest either Dougal or Paul earlier, but, as the protest was dispersing, made the highly provocative arrests and then began violently moving people away from Parliament’s main gates for no apparent reason other than to create conflict.

The decision to crack down on the protest movement was without question made at a high government level, mainly because Labour finds it diplomatically embarrassing to have several thousand protesters chanting outside Parliament or the American Embassy.

Those arrested have been targeted not because they have encouraged “lawlessness” or “endangered the public” but because they are prominent members of the anti-war movement. After large and completely peaceful protests outside American, British and Australian diplomatic posts on March 20 (attended by several hundred people including Members of Parliament) following the start of the attack on Iraq, members of the International Socialist Organisation were followed by a police car as they walked home and questioned in Lambton Quay.

Two days later, as protesters gathered in Civic Square to march on the US Embassy, a group of police attempted to intimidate Dougal, trying to get him to come along to “answer questions.” They backed off when he and other ISO members asserted their rights, but told Dougal he was going to be arrested at the end of the protest. The arrest never happened – but clearly the aim was to intimidate him and others into not protesting.

Despite supposedly having enough evidence to charge him over the flag burning (and having his address), Dougal was not arrested at this or subsequent demonstrations – the police finally arresting him at his home on April 23 – over a month later.

The charges are particularly serious for Paul. As a provisionally registered teacher, he faces the possibility of losing his licence if convicted. The police tried to bar Paul from entering Parliament grounds or associating with other activists as bail conditions, but a judge threw these conditions out. Police have barred Dougal from entering Parliament grounds.

Any approval to lay charges under the Flags, Emblems and Names Protection Act needs the consent of the Attorney General. In other words, the decision to crack down on a growing and potentially embarrassing protest movement was made at the highest levels – rather than just being some sort of “over reaction” by the police.

Repression often backfires on those using it. Instead of scaring people into submission it makes them angry and determined to fight back. Is it any coincidence that Wellington’s anti-war movement was the most militant in the country?

Unless we resist – by supporting those charged in court – and by continuing to build a movement against the American Empire on the streets – it can and will be used as a precedent for repressive action against progressive movements and workers in the future.

George W. Bush wants to make an open ended war on the world. Not only must we build the biggest possible movement to stop him, we have to resist the attempt by our own rulers to repress this movement.

Support the arrested:
For details about donating to the defence fund or supporting the arrested activists in court, please contact Peace Action Wellington:
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