Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice met with Government leaders in Auckland today. Spurred on by a bounty of $10,000, 150 protesters challenged her presence in New Zealand. They called for her arrest under the Geneva Convention for war crimes and the sanctioning of torture.
There was chanting, speeches and an impressive US flag burning outside Government house where Rice was meeting with Clark and Peters. The speeches focused on Rice's support for the illegal and immoral war in Iraq, as well as the wider and more nonsensical 'War on Terror'; her sanctioning of torture and instrumental role in setting up Guantanamo Bay; and on what a bad idea a free trade agreement with the US would be. Then the crowd relocated to the Langham Hotel where Rice met with John Key.
Auckland University Students Association had to withdraw the bounty it placed on the head of Condoleezza Rice two days ago, under threat of legal action. However, the Students Association at Victoria University in Wellington doubled the price, offering $10,000 for a successful citizen's arrest. Although several people turned up to the demo with handcuffs, the chance to nab Rice didn't present itself. Police refused to cooperate in the arrest of this war criminal, giving the irrelavent excuse that she is a visiting dignitary.
Police had planned to limit protest at the Langham hotel by keeping protesters on the opposite side of the road, behind shiny new barricades that had obviously been bought specially for the occassion. What they hadn't planned for was a busload of protesters being dropped off at the bus stop outside the hotel. After fifteen minutes of chanting and yelling, the police claimed that standing on the public footpath outside the hotel, was a 'safety risk.' When protesters refused to leave, the police violently forced protesters off the sidewalk and out onto the road. Protesters were shoved, punched and thrown to the street and pain compliance holds used on several protesters to get them to move. Several were punched in the face along with John Minto who was shoved to the ground by several officers smashing and breaking the megaphone he was chanting through. Two protesters were arrested and one man was left bleeding from the neck and wrist.
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Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
congrats to everyone involved today.
neither the pigs or the weather can turn us away!
kia kaha.
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
good on everyone of you that were there!! I wish I could have been.
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
She's here for a few days yet - we can still get her!
Alastair Reith.
The bitch heard us :)
from - http://www.topnews.in/war-criminal-protests-greet-rice-new-zealand-254817
Clark cited the demonstration when the pair were questioned by reporters about China's human rights record and the coming Olympics at a brief news conference.
"In our countries we are used to having dissent expressed in a way in which it is peaceful," she said, according to the New Zealand Herald website. "If it goes over that boundary then there's always a response but you would have noticed today that we conducted our talks amongst the backdrop of a rather noisy crowd."
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
Alastair she leaves tomorrow. If anyone manages to get her within the next 24 hours they will be my hero forever.
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
Condoleezza Rice Says NZ An Ally
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0807/S00286.htm
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
Rice likely to take protest in her stride
26/07/2008 13:04:17
An American reporter believes US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is unlikely to be fazed by protest action against her support of the Iraq war.
Dr Rice is in Auckland for an official one-day engagement and has already met with Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters. She holds discussions with Miss Clark this afternoon.
A $5,000 reward offered by Auckland University students to anyone who could make a civilian's arrest of Dr Rice has been withdrawn after concern from police but $10,000 reward offer by Victoria University students is believed to be still in force.
A demonstration by the group Global Peace and Justice is planned to take place in Auckland's Domain this afternoon but Associated Press reporter Matthew Lee says Dr Rice believes freedom of speech and the right to protest are all part of democracy. He says Dr Rice has stated in the past that student protests in particular have a long tradition in democratic systems.
Mr Lee says Dr Rice's security team will do whatever they need to in order to protect her.
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
Police heavy-handed
26/07/2008 18:32:26
Anti-war protestors claim police have overstepped the mark at this afternoon's anti-US demonstration.
At least a hundred students turned up outside Auckland's Langham Hotel to protest against US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the country.
Auckland University Students' Association president David Do says police have been heavy-handed towards the protestors. He says police officers pushed protestors off the footpath and into traffic. Mr Do says as far as he is concerned, the protesters are demonstrating peacefully.
There were also tense scenes this afternoon outside Government House during the Dr Rice's visit.
This morning Dr Rice met Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters and, at 3 this afternoon, Prime Minister Helen Clark.
A large number of protestors braved the pouring rain and howling winds waving banners saying 'USA a terrorist state'. A handful approached police to negotiate a citizens arrest of Dr Rice. That follows the offer of a $10,000 reward from Victoria University to anyone who made a citizen's arrest of Dr Rice.
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
i have said it before and i have to say it again .... fuck the corporate media!! the story on the idiot box was insane. how great that this war crim is here, wow she called us an ally
go new zealand you good thing (does that mean we are a target for terror ... or was it just a fleeting visit?)
i'll just stick to Aotearoa thankyou very much
Kia Kaha people!
love the flag image
hypocrite Helen Clark
Good to hear 'Clark heard us':
Shame she doesn't ensure her police goons live up to the standards she preachs. Their aggression outside the Langham hotel was clearly designed to shove protesters to a place where they would be less visible, less audible, and wouldn't be noticed by the visiting 'ally'.
Bitch got a Warm Welcome
Well done everyone who came out in the rain and protested today!! 526 articles published mentioned the protests so far if you search google, now the world knows that she's not welcome in Aotearoa.
We all know that this is ALL about trade so lets get mobilised and fight this FTA! We've plenty of time to build up opposition and every time the US delegates come back to have their asses licked by the crooked NZ government (whoever the fuck they may be at the time) we'll be there, numbers growing!!
FIGHT THE NZUS FREE TRADE AGREEMENT!!!
WHO'S GOT THE POWER???!!!???!!!
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
Helen Clark's office always loves visitors...
Maybe Labour would like to invite their 'allie' in the war of terror, George Bush over next....
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
just remember New Plymouth and Dr Rices american "interest", Dow Agrosciences.
New Zealand has for decades and is still now totally supporting US terrorism by harboring this chemical weapons factory. As long as Dow is in NP, there is no "new zealand" or Aotearoa, just a miniscule 52nd state.
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
Awesome work to everyone who braved the weather. Keep her on the run around the world!
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
more evidence that the Labour Party is not even remotely Socialist...... is it even slightly Left anymore?
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
For a supposedly nuetral body, the police sound like they did a rather good job (once again), of puting state interests first!
Congrats to all on the action, and for braving the cold!
Solidarity from Otautahi!
Jared D
Neutral NZ police a myth
@ Jared D
Yup, the myth of NZ Police as a neutral law-enforcement body was well-exposed for the lie that it is! Not only did NZ Police refuse to arrest Condi, they barely even spoke to protesters - other than to try threaten AUSA into dropping the bounty. Big ups to VUWSA for doubling the bounty!!!
Among the few daft mutterings senior cops in Auckland tried to make when questioned over their refusal to arrest Rice were these gems:
NZ Herald - Condi Rice benefits NZ survey
NZ Herald has a survey up:
Herald Condi survey
The question is: Has Condoleezza Rice's visit to Auckland benefitted NZ?
While unscientific, these surveys are often later quoted by the media as evidence of 'support' or 'opposition'.
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
Unfortunately the term 'war crimes' has been coopted by the vanquisher and no longer has any real meaning in terms of heads of state that oversee attrocities.
This was clear even in WWII when the vanquishers executed the Nazi war criminals, and somehow forgot to do the same to the heads of the RAF responsible for the strategic targeting of, and deaths of half a million civilians in German cities.
Right up to the execution of the war criminal Sadam Hussein for gassing the Kurds, whilst Donald Rumsfeld who sold him the gas ingredience and provided the cooking recipe for the gas, still walks free even today.
The police understand this full well and will protect any war criminal, as long as that war criminal is a member of the 'team', as does the International Court of Justice in the Hague, who selectively try any war criminal who is not a member of the 'coalition of bush's little willies'.
More photos from Condi Protest
photos...
pics
Re: More photos from Condi Protest
I have a good idea: let`s round up all the mass murdering, war criminal Bush terrorists (as well as that Jeremy idiot who posted above) and hang them from the highest tree in the land.
I`ll bring the ropes.
Photos of Condi visit to Auckland
photos
Not one to step down from a challenge - Mc Minto throws down some battle rhymes in response to a rap from the back of the Unite Ute
photos
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
peace and love to all the comrades who turned out for the protests
fight the power
shame on the New Zealand piglice stop putting your filthy hoofs on people you are paid to take care of
we will keep the fight up in Tauranga
the JEDI
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
Further photos are here:
http://www.aol.co.nz/news/gallery/rice-nz-visit
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
Yo Jedi, I met you the other night after the meeting, couldn't make it on saturday coz of the flu but i heard you busted out some good raps. mean!
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
anyone have video of Jane Kelsey's speech from the back of the ute at government house??
Re: Fugitive Rice Makes Narrow Escape
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0807/S00309.htm
More photos.