Four Student Protesters Arrested In Glen Innes

27th July 2012, 1245am

Police arrested four students protesting against Glen Innes housing evictions late last night. Students supporting the Tamaki Housing Action Group were peacefully protesting outside a house being removed by truck from Apirana St. Housing New Zealand has been evicting residents from their own community, many who have lived there for decades. Over the last six months there have been large numbers of paddy wagons and officers on the streets in Glen Innes, a tactic devised specifically to intimidate residents and keep them from resisting the destruction of their community.

The four were picked up by their throats and necks by police officers and charged with obstruction. One of them, Rachel said, “we were charged with obstructing a public place, but there were three paddy-wagons, two police cars and an overkill of police officers – they were obstructing the street, we were just sitting in it!”

Meanwhile on Taniwha St, residents assembled outside number 16 Taniwha St as it was being removed. There were four police cars blocking the streets, and one police wagon full of cops inside. Resident Nicki says, “we negotiated with the cops. We wanted to walk the house out of our street as a mark of respect to the elderly lady who lived there.” The elderly woman resided at number 16 for over sixty years and died soon after being coerced out of her home. “We wanted to show respect to the others who died in our street recently after Housing New Zealand told them they had to move out in May-June of this year,” Nicki added.

16 Taniwha is the first of seven homes to be removed on Taniwha St. There is a housing shortage all over the country, but the government is continuing to privatize public houses set aside after the Great Depression and the Second World War for the families of pensioners and families in need. With unemployment rising and an unlivable minimum wage, the numbers of families in need are increasing.

Supporters of the Glen Innes community and all those opposed to state intimidation of the community are encouraged to make contact with the ‘Call to Action – Housing in Glen Innes’ facebook page. Join the resistance against the decline in living standards by fighting back against unjust evictions and fight to provide quality housing that is accessible to all.

ENDS

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