Police raid houses across Aotearoa under anti-terrorism legislation, at least a dozen arrests
Oct 15 2007 00:24
Early this morning there were simultaneous raids across the North Island, in Auckland, Whakatane, Wellington, Ruatoki, and Hamilton. Later in the morning, Police came to at least four houses in Christchurch. Around a dozen people have been arrested so far, and reports are that up to 60 are being sought for questioning.
The raids were under the Suppression Of Terrorism Act and the Firearms Act. They have been targetted at people involved in the Tino Rangatiratanga, Peace and Environmental movements.
Aoteaora Indymedia will have details as they come to hand - http://www.indymedia.org.nz
Also check the corporate media - http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10469938 and http://stuff.co.nz/4238342a10.html
Oct 15 2007 02:16
#2
Updates
1:43pm - The people arrested in Wellington will apparently appear in court at 2:15pm, and word is that cops will be opposing bail. It is not yet known what charges have been laid. Tame Iti will face arms charges in the Rotorua District Court this afternoon.
3:13pm - The four Wellington arrestees are still waiting to be heard in court, but we have recieved information that they are being charged with possession of firearms and ammunition at some point in the past.
The corporate media are now reporting at least 20 people are facing charges.
Oct 15 2007 02:33
#3
From the NZ Herald:
Quote:
Wellington anarchist's home raidedSam Buchanan, who lives at 128 Abel Smith St in Wellington's Te Aro district, said he was mystified about why his home was raided by police.
Police left the scene shortly before 1pm with various bags containing clothes and documents.
Buchanan said he had not been involved in any training camps.
He would not say whether he was involved with Greenpeace or any other environmental group, however Herald investigations have revealed he is a member of Aotearoa Anarchists and has written a pamplet entitled Anarchy: The Transmogrification of Everyday Life.
In 2001 he was arrested as anti-globalisation protests flared at the G8 protests in Genoa, Italy and he claimed that he was badly beaten by police.
There is a sign on the door of Buchanan's house which reads: The Mechanical Tempest.
Buchanan said he and other residents ran a free bicycle repair workshop.
The house was used as a venue for numerous classes, including language and dance.There had never been any firearms at the property but "millions" of people had been associated with this house, Buchanan said.
Buchanan said police told him he could not leave the house and that the warrant for the search was issued under the Terrorism Act.Police had broken a glass door into the house and Buchanan said he supposed he was expected to replace it.
"It's been a very annoying morning," he said.
Member of anti-capitalist organisation arrested
Among the others arrested is Omar Hamed, a founding member of Aotearoa Radical Youth, an anti-capitalist organisation for young people.
Hamed is a history student at Auckland University and went to Takapuna Grammar.
In 2005 he won an award from the New Zealand Herald's College Herald newspaper for his journalism.
Oct 15 2007 03:28
#4
Any coincidence that this happened right after the anarchists there had held that big conference?
Oct 15 2007 03:59
#5
Probably unrelated, but no idea. The conference venue (A Space Inside social centre) was one of the places raided though.
Oct 15 2007 09:13
#6
Here's the latest feature I just wrote for Aotearoa Indymedia / Global Indymedia:
Quote:
17 activists arrested, denied bail. 300+ Police raid houses across the countryIn 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 came from 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.
14 of the arrestees appeared in court hearings in Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua and Wellington this afternoon and were all refused bail. All but two recieved name supression.
Stand In Solidarity!
* Auckland: A solidarity group has been formed, and will meet next on Thursday. Details to come.
* Christchurch: A solidarity protest will be held in Cathedral Square on Tuesday at 5pm. There will also be another demonstration on Saturday (time and location to be confirmed).
* 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.Links: Video interview with Annette Sykes, lawyer for Tame Iti | TV3 News video
The four Wellington arrestees (2 women and 2 men) have recieved a total of 20 charges. On Wednesday they will be back in court as the prosecution attempts to move their trial to Auckland, while they will have an opportunity to apply for bail hearing on Friday.
5 arrestees (1 woman and 4 men) in Auckland will remain in custody until Friday while a 6th, Jamie Beattie Lockett, who faces 3 charges under the Firearms Act, will have a bail hearing Tuesday morning.
An arrestee in the Hamilton District Court, charged with 6 charges, will appear in the Auckland District Court on Friday.
In Rotorua, Tame Iti, facing 8 charges, will have a bail application heard Tuesday at 3pm. A woman in the Rotorua District Court, facing 5 charges, has been remanded in custody for 2 weeks, although will be allowed to apply for bail during that time.
The Police will make a decision in the coming days/weeks as to whether they will apply to the Solicitor General to allow charges to be laid under the 2002 Terrorism Supression Act. If they do get permission, it would be the first time charges have been laid under the act. There may still be more arrests and more charges as well.
Oct 15 2007 09:41
#7
that's fucked.
Didn't they do something similar a year or two ago? Are they likely to be able to press charges or is this more likely a fishing trip or harassment?
Oct 15 2007 11:09
#8
Nah, nothing like this in recent memory in NZ - possibly the closest would've been the arrests for sedition etc over conscription in WW1 & 2.
They've also laid some charges, and I'm pretty sure there'll probably be more to come (possibly including terrorism ones). Wouldn't be surprised if there's more arrests too.
They've definately also used it as a fishing expidition at the same time - some of the people who had cops at their houses in Christchurch today were asked about totally unrelated things, like chickens (assumedly in relation to a recent rescue of hens from a battery farm). They've cast an absolutely MASSIVE net with this.
The total lockdown of the town of Ruatoki was insane too - for instance, this morning a bus-load of kids on their way to school had guns pointed in their faces by Armed Offenders Squad police dressed in all black with full face-masks. That area has been the recipient of shit for police since Pakeha immigration to NZ first started...the local Iwi (tribe), Tuhoe, was one of a few tribes to never sign the Treaty Of Waitangi, and were massacred as a result.
Oct 15 2007 12:47
#9
I've nothing to add 
but wanted to keep this story at the top as it will be very interesting how it plays out for us in Oceania with regards to all of the anti-Terror legislations that our governments are embracing. 
Oct 15 2007 12:57
#10
Asher, what do you mean by armed police? I thought police in aotearoa carried guns normally.
Oct 15 2007 13:04
#11
Nope. The only cops that carry guns regularly are the Armed Offenders Squad (kinda like SWAT I guess?) and the Diplomatic Protection Squad (who protect MPs and foreign dignitaries). All other cops have 24/7 access to guns at their stations, but have to get them specifically for a reason (although in some of the poorest areas cops have started to carry guns regularly AFAIK).
Thats a photo of the police roadblock outside Ruatoki I mentioned earlier. The people who searched the schoolbus were dressed like that guy. Fuck, those kids are gonna be scarred for a long time...
Just heard some friends tried to visit the Wellington arrestees in prison earlier but werent allowed. They'll try again tomorrow.
Oct 15 2007 13:09
#12
Sounds a bit like our system, much more civilised.
Oct 15 2007 14:31
#13
The story just made the news in the Norwegian newspapers. Headline in the largest newspaper: Peace Activists were in weapons training. It just mentions the training camp, nothing about the wide net they've cast. Very spooky stuff.
Oct 15 2007 20:57
#14
Ascher the whole situation sounds terrible and bloody terrifying.. Thanks for informing us of the situation and please keep us all updated. We could change the old saying of the iron heel of the state, to its rifle muzzle in the face of a child: the barbaric scoundrels.
The use of anti-terrorism to justify state terror was also used by the German state in August and communist and we have to denounce these as we did them
Quote:
How little these two main uses of terrorism by the state - as a weapon of imperialist war and as a justification for repression against the working class - exclude each other, how much on the contrary they complement and mutually enforce each other, is best shown by our contemporary world. Islamic terrorism is, in the first instance, a weapon in the hands of a series of states and cliques against economically and militarily often superior imperialist opponents. But above all it is the "war against terrorism" which, at least since "9/11" has become the war cry of all the leading industrial states of the world. This goes not only for the USA, who most recently used this pretext to justify the invasion and occupation on Iraq. It applies no less to German imperialism which opposed the US-war in Iraq for its own reasons, but justifies its own military operations in Afghanistan, Africa or on the coast of the Lebanon in very similar terms. Regarding the recent enormous strengthening of states vis-à-vis their own populations, which has also of course taken place in Germany it is true that initially the foiling of terrorist attacks from enemy states and cliques was the pre-dominant concern. But the ruling class is fully aware that its natural and mortal enemy is the proletariat. This is its enemy both "at home" and world wide. By contrast, the ruling class has no reserves about getting involved in terrorist activities. It is a well-known fact that the USA originally helped to build up, arm and train Bin Laden's organisation. But the longstanding close ties between German politics and terror groups in the Middle East or on the Balkans, or more recently in Afghanistan, is a subject which would also a be well worth researching.
Six years after the terrorist attack on New York, events in Germany this year have powerfully illustrated the second spearhead of the "war against terrorism" directed against the social front. 30 years after the German autumn we can almost speak of a "German summer 2007". For one thing we have seen how the mostly very young demonstrators, who in Rostock and Heiligendamm demonstrated against G8 and for "a different world", were confronted by open state terror, and thrown into prison. For another thing, the activities of a so-called "Militant Group" (MG) has been the occasion for fabricating a connection between critical, anti-capitalist thinking and terrorism, and for answering such thinking with arrests and imprisonment in isolation cells. This group is supposed to have been involved in damaging property, "symbols of capitalism" such as luxury cars or trucks of the German army
,,,What characterises the contemporary world, in comparison to that of 1977, is not only the much more dramatic and dangerous dead end which capitalism has lead humanity, but also the fact that the proletariat has to a considerable extent lost its sense of class identity since 1989. However today the world proletariat is beginning to rediscover its own strength. And the political vanguard of this class is beginning to rediscover and to further develop their own revolutionary theory and positions. Part and parcel of the solidarity of the proletariat with the victims of state terror is the struggle to win over the desperate ones to the cause and to the methods of the working class
30 years after the “German Autumn”: state terror yesterday and today http://en.internationalism.org/icconline/2007/miltante-gruppe
Oct 15 2007 23:09
#15
How it's being reported in Australia:
http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/nz-activist-among-14-in-terror-ring/2007/10/15/1192300684218.html
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,22587404-5012766,00.html
these two are typical Murdoch and Fairfax responses whereas the ABC seem to have not jumped on the hysterical bandwagon quite as much:
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/15/2060269.htm
How is the contact stuff going Asher?
All the best.
gregg
Oct 15 2007 23:59
#16
Quote:
UPDATESTuesday 16th
12:10pm - Jamie Beattie Lockett, who faces three charges under the arms act, was released on bail after a hearing in the Auckland District Court today.
12:43pm - Word is that people in Auckland are now being called in by Police for questioning. Our love and solidarity to all, and we strongly urge you to make no comment.
12:55pm - Supporters delivered reading material and money to the four Wellington arrestees last night and this morning.
Oct 16 2007 02:05
#17
Quote:
lettersforprisoners (at) riseup.netdistribute this to your friends around the world!
letters will be printed and sent to various prisons around the country to the detained political prisoners of the 15ths raids...
Quote:
3:12pm - A report back from the Melbourne Solidarity Demo said there were around 30 people and lots of media.
Oct 16 2007 04:40
#18
.
Oct 16 2007 04:40
#19
The timing is beautiful too.... just as an unpopular amendment to the anti terrorism act is coming before parliament.
Oct 17 2007 03:39
#20
Quote:
Solidarity with the Urewera 17! Free them now!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". [ Report ]
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.
Links: AIMC Feature 1 | AIMC Feature 2 | Remember Security Culture!
Oct 18 2007 01:27
#21
Quote:
Updates7:51pm - One News reported during their broadcast that Police were currently searching two more houses in Tuhoe country.
Thursday - It now appears that an 18th person was arrested somewhere in the Bay Of Plenty. They were scheduled to appear in the Rotorua District Court Thursday morning. More details as they come to hand.
AoCafe, a popular Tino Rangatiratanga website, has been down since these raids. A comment on AIMC states that "the server which hosts the Manamotuhake and AoCafe websites has been confiscated as part of the raids."
Two houses in in Palmerston North, one in Lower Hutt, one in Wellington, and one at Lake Waikaremoana were searched yesterday.
It appears that 1 arrestee was released on bail in Palmerston North under restrictive bail conditions Wednesday morning. He will appear in the Auckland District Court on November 1st.
In the Wellington District Court yesterday, Michael Bott, lawyer for one of the Wellington arrestees, stated that he had been unable to contact his client in Rimutaka Prison
2:05pm - A Wellington arrestee who is being held in Rimutaka sent his love and thanked everyone for their support. Knowing about the worldwide support they've been getting has made a real difference for those inside.
Oct 18 2007 01:32
#22
Quote:
A Wellington arrestee who is being held in Rimutaka sent his love and thanked everyone for their support. Knowing about the worldwide support they've been getting has made a real difference for those inside.
glad the messages are getting through. I've passed these details on to others too.
all the best
gregg 
Oct 18 2007 01:41
#23
Quote:
Quote:
Updates7:51pm - One News reported during their broadcast that Police were currently searching two more houses in Tuhoe country.
Thursday - It now appears that an 18th person was arrested somewhere in the Bay Of Plenty. They were scheduled to appear in the Rotorua District Court Thursday morning. More details as they come to hand.
AoCafe, a popular Tino Rangatiratanga website, has been down since these raids. A comment on AIMC states that "the server which hosts the Manamotuhake and AoCafe websites has been confiscated as part of the raids."
Two houses in in Palmerston North, one in Lower Hutt, one in Wellington, and one at Lake Waikaremoana were searched yesterday.
It appears that 1 arrestee was released on bail in Palmerston North under restrictive bail conditions Wednesday morning. He will appear in the Auckland District Court on November 1st.
In the Wellington District Court yesterday, Michael Bott, lawyer for one of the Wellington arrestees, stated that he had been unable to contact his client in Rimutaka Prison
2:05pm - A Wellington arrestee who is being held in Rimutaka sent his love and thanked everyone for their support. Knowing about the worldwide support they've been getting has made a real difference for those inside.
Regarding earlier reports that they were seeking up to 60 people for questioning - how's that going and will that mean that folks in custody now will be kept in there until they have evryone they want? What's the vibe of the community there about all of this?
gregg.
Oct 18 2007 02:18
#24
People were questioned yesterday, and I imagine that there will be yet more people questioned today and over the next few days...
There's bail hearings for some of the arrestees in Auckland and all 4 in Wellington tomorrow.
People are banding together really amazingly all across the country. Heaps of solidarity actions and fundraising for prisoner support & legal fees are already underway.
Oct 18 2007 02:22
#25
Very warming stuff. The video of the rally at Melbourne was very powerful too. Good luck with everything mate.
My thoughts are with you and your comrades.
gregg.
Oct 18 2007 04:47
#26
Asher wrote:
People were questioned yesterday, and I imagine that there will be yet more people questioned today and over the next few days...There's bail hearings for some of the arrestees in Auckland and all 4 in Wellington tomorrow.
People are banding together really amazingly all across the country. Heaps of solidarity actions and fundraising for prisoner support & legal fees are already underway.
Yeah getting around 80 odd people to a rally with a day's notice in apathetic ol' christchurch show's there's some feeling out there about this
Oct 18 2007 09:41
#27
That's brilliant... well done, and I don't mean that to sound patronising. I've passed details of this to a couple of the Brisbane crew but haven't heard anything yet and there doesn't appear to have been anything added to their site so...
Anyway, all the best.
gregg.
Oct 18 2007 10:18
#28
ifn you allow me to play devils advocate, can anyone satisfy my curiosity and tell me something about the actual camps and alleged seisures of napalm, explosives and assault weapons?
Oct 18 2007 11:44
#29
The camps, as seen on tv, consist of a few logs for seats, a rusty pan and a spoon, if I remember correctly.
Most of the charges aren't relating to weapons found during arrests/raids, but rather weapons that the arrestees are alleged to have used at some point in the past. And even most of those are pretty uneventful - standard hunting rifles (including semi-auto) that many in the area use to hunt pigs and deer.
No napalm has been siezed, although it has been alleged that a napalm bomb was tested.
The cops aren't really saying much of anything, and what they have said (eg what they told the High Court judge to get him to revoke Jamie Lockett's bail) has been supressed so noone who knows can say it.
There's a support website that should go live tomorrow night NZ time.
Oct 18 2007 15:08
#30
thanks.
Christ the article i read had leapt to some conclusions 
Raids included the anarchist social centres in Auckland and Wellington, with armed police.
Also had cops round at my house this morning - didn't have a warrant though so didn't let them in.