Documentary a reminder to drop the charges

"The screening of a documentary about the state-terror raids of 15th October 2007 this Saturday is a good reminder that it is time to drop the charges against the 18 people still facing a trial" says Peter Steiner, a spokesperson for Wellington October 15th Solidarity group.

Kim Webby's film 'October 15' explores the aftermath of the so-called anti-terrorism raids by police on the people of Tuhoe in Ruatoki Valley and beyond, on 15th October 2007. It will be screened on Maori Television this Saturday, 7th August at 8.30pm.

"What happened on 15th October 2007 to people in about 60 houses across Aotearoa/NZ is horrific. We had children locked in sheds by police for hours without food and water and armed police storming a Kohanga Reo bus in Ruatoki. A young girl in Manurewa was made to kneel on the concrete in front of her house with her hands up and police guns pointed at her head. Lots of people were also taken to police stations for interrogation and 17 people then imprisoned for up to four weeks, waiting to find out if they would be charged under the Terrorism Suppression Act."

"Minister of Justice Simon Power is quoted in the Sunday Star Times this past weekend that the 'average time it takes for a trial to be committed in the High Court has been cut from 186 to 77 days' since the government removed automatic deposition hearings. It is now over 1000 days since the raids in 2007, 18 people still face charges and it is not even clear when and where the trial will take place. It is time for the Solicitor-General David Collins to step in and pull the plug on this disaster" concludes Peter Steiner.

ENDS

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