[knighthawk]

Ping

[Catspaw]

Protest organiser John Sarvis said he was disappointed by the firm reaction of police.

You mean that he expected the police to allow them to storm our embassy?

What a dolt.

[facedown]

"There might be rogue nations in the world, but there is only one rogue superpower," Sarvis said in a statement.

He misses the Soviet Union.

[Norman Arbuthnot]

"The United States has the largest arsenal of weapons of mass destruction," he added.

No disputing that. But the people of New Zealand should thankful for that. Consider who has the second and third largest arsenals of WMD. Something tells me won't be seeing these protesters moving on to the Chinese and Russian embassies.

[Neophyte]

I knew from the local media about the clowns' plans beforehand and was preparing couple of slogans, like "Good on you, W!", "Commies Out!" and "Hit Iraq NOW!", to oppose them. But the morning when the shuttle disaster happend I couldn't unglue myself from the TV-set and the PC. And was sure they'll reschedule their miserable "peace protest" in the face of the mourning nation...

I should know better. They went ahead, and I wonder, how many of the leftie New Zealanders will get the message? I mean, how many of the lefties will be disgusted enough by these events to realise the total inhumanity of their "comrades"?

A very elloquent detail: may be a week ago I was arguing with a passenger of my taxi, obviousely a lib, about so called Western peaceniks. And I told him that in any crowd of peaceniks 30% would sport T-shirts with Che Gevara, 30% - kaffiahs, and 30% - both. Since their cherished Che was anything (for instance, a 200 per cent loser) but a pacifist; and since the Arabs hide their faces behind kaffiah when shooting at pizzerias and airports, the fashion statement of that crowds speaks volumes.

And what do I see on the front page of The Dominion Post today? Yes, a cop restraining a "peace protester" in front of the American embassy in Wellington... and the lowlife has his kaffiah fallen on the ground!

I hope the cop had taken it off his hollow head with a mighty strike of his batton.

[csvset]

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CONFRONTATION: Police arrest protesters who were blocking the road to prevent a paddy wagon from leaving with other protesters arrested during an anti-war demonstration outside the American embassy in Wellington yesterday.
CRAIG SIMCOX/Dominion Post

Anti-war protest turns violent

03 February 2003

By RUTH BERRY and HANK SCHOUTEN

Twenty-three people were arrested yesterday during an anti-war protest outside the American embassy after protesters tried to break a police line and scale an embassy fence yesterday.

Police and protesters were nursing abrasions and other minor injuries after the confrontation outside the embassy's compound in Thorndon.

Though several protesters said that at least one elderly man suffered a bleeding head, no one is known to have sought medical attention.

Protesters were arrested for offences including disorder, assault and resisting police. They will appear in Wellington District Court this week. Many said they would plead not guilty and would lay complaints against the police.

Others among the group of about 250 protesters accused police of heavy-handedness, and blamed police for turning the protest into an ugly pushing and shoving match in which people were wrestled to the ground.

Police inspector Marty Grenfell "absolutely" rejected claims police had acted inappropriately, saying the protesters had determined the level of violence.

Protest leaders had made it clear before arriving at the embassy from Parliament that they intended trying to breach security by scaling the embassy fence – and had brought ladders and knotted sheets to do so.

They had then forcibly tried to break through the line police had formed to prevent them trying to scale the fence, he said.

Most arrests happened shortly after, when protesters blocked the street and prevented a police van from leaving carrying those already arrested.

Police were disappointed and surprised "at the level of violence of the group", but believed they had responded professionally at all times, Mr Grenfell said.

The protest was under the banner "New Zealand Citizen Weapon Inspection Team" which no one claimed to be leading, in an attempt to distance the event from regular peace action groups.

Some protesters were dressed in decontamination-type boiler suits, while others carried metal detectors and magnifying glasses.

Peace activist Simon Fjnord said the protest aimed to draw attention to the hypocrisy of the United States' desire for war on Iraq. Protesters sought to search the embassy for weapons and some had been "prepared to take that chance (of arrest) to highlight the gravity of the issue".

Arrested protester Arthur Price, who planned to lay a complaint, said he had simply tried to run to the fence and shouldn't have been arrested.

Anthony West said he was arrested after trying to warn the van driver not to move because he would run over protesters sitting behind the vehicle.

"They were very aggressive, they told me to roll over, but they had their knee in my back".

One woman said she saw people being kicked.

An American Embassy spokeswoman said any suggestions weapons were being kept at the embassy were ridiculous.

"Although we understand there may be people who do not agree with the US Government policy, we believe that in a democracy such differences of opinion should be handled in an appropriate legal manner.

"Illegal trespass does not in any way aid the communication of such opinions."

Prime Minister Helen Clark, who has already said she believes most New Zealanders have reservations about a war with Iraq, said people had the right to protest peacefully but if they "go too far and break the law they should expect a response".

ACT NZ leader Richard Prebble described protesters as childish. If they had held a similar protest in Iraq "the lucky ones would be dead and the unlucky ones would still be being tortured."

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** Note: The police officers should have applied what is known as a "wrist drag" hold on the protester that is standing. The protester would have been brought to the ground with minimal effort on the part of the officer.

[Timesink]

Once they're over the fences, they're on US property, not NZ property. Shoot to KILL.

[judgeandjury]

"There might be rogue nations in the world, but there is only one rogue superpower," Sarvis said in a statement. "The United States has the largest arsenal of weapons of mass destruction," he added.

It really amazes me that people like Sarvis have such a "tunnel vision" type of thinking process. It would be like me saying that we should all fear the police because the police carry guns. The only people who need to fear the police are criminals. The only ones who need to fear the U.S.'s "weapons of mass destruction" are those rogue nations who wish to do the U.S. and it's allies harm. Don't mess with us and we won't mess with you.

[weegee]

Violent protest for "peace" BUMP.

[spitz]

What cretins, not only have these people taken part in an irrelevant and immature sideshow, they now have police and security records. Smart they ain’t.

[Centurion2000]

Protest organiser John Sarvis said he was disappointed by the firm reaction of police

HE would have freaked if they'd gotten inside the building. Dead protestors everywhere after that. Embassies are sovereign territory.

[MissAmericanPie]

I didn't realize New Zealand had a large Muslim population. Sort of like when they say "student protest" here in the USofA yet these "students" look middle eastern.

[ctnoell70]

Somebody PLEASE shoot these bastards (and sink the Greenpeace "Rainbow Warrior" blocking the British military seaport). And please don't hand me any "free speech" crap, because these actions are going beyond that. Enough is enough!