GLOBALPEACE&JUSTICE AUCKLAND
Private Bag 68905, Newton,Auckland. www.gpja.org.nz

3 November 2007
Media Release:

Police express regret for their provocative action at Labour Party Conference protest

No charges to be laid against three arrested

GPJA is pleased the police indicated regret for provocative action on their part which led to rising tension and ultimately the arrest of two people outside the Labour Party conference in Auckland today.

Three arrests were made altogether and we are pleased no charges are to be laid. The three were instead detained on breach of the police and processed without charges being laid.

The tension rose when police, without warning, began to push people away from the centre.

We were pleased that several Labour Party members spoke privately with protestors to express deep concern at the use of so-called "anti-terror laws" under Labour's watch. This included a member of the Labour Party Maori Policy Council who addressed the crowd.

A complaint of assault has been laid with the police against a conference attendee who assaulted a female protestor.

The protest called for the repeal of the Terrorism Suppression Act of 2002 and its various off-shoots which have resulted in drastically increased powers of surveillance for the police and Security Intelligence Service as well as big increases in resourcing.

These are George Bush's laws imposed on New Zealand by the Labour government over the past six years.

Some of those arrested in the so-called anti-terror raids three weeks ago were at the protest along with family members.

ENDS

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