no worries, sorry if that was inaapropriate

But - why is the name of the "District Court Judge or Registrar" not evident on your published photo of the search warrant?

Hi Indy editors

You are right to remove the names of the arrested from the feature article but you did not explain why their names have been removed.

The removal of names from the allows the arrested people to ask a judge for a name suppression order. Apart from that if there is not enough evidence to take a case to court the charges will be dropped which means the names of the arrested don'e need to be made public.

Exactly - sorry, I didn't have time to write more, very busy obviously!

Love and solidarity to all,
An AIMC editor

Is that the High Court?

why does the main page say 6 comments but I can only see 1.

Aotearoa Indymedia has been running a bit slowly today - I assume that HEAPS of people are visiting to try to get an idea of whats going on. If this happens, just hit "refresh" and hopefully that'll sort it.

I wish those who post to this - and other forums had a better understanding on the difference between what is "legal" and what is "lawful". If this was more widely known then defendants might be better equipped (& have greater success) when trying to mount defence cases...

-

love and solidarity to all from the Melbourne office of the Wilderness Society

And some more love and solidarity from over the ditch. And I've been giving all the aussies shit for living in a police state...

Don't let the shit get you down xoxo

hide names?

These aggressive raids are an attempt to criminalize dissent and smear critics of government and corporate policies with the “terrorist” label. This is both appalling and ridiculous.

Every great movement for peace, workers’ rights, social justice or environmental sustainability in our history has organized civil disobedience or other “illegal” protest to make its point, from Parihaka to the 1951 Lockout, from the anti-nuclear campaign, to the GE Free movement. Every one of these movements organized actions which could be branded a “terrorist” under the current legislation.

The left must unite to defend the democratic right to protest and dissent.

We must throw the “terrorist” label back in the faces of the politicians who voted for these US-inspired laws, whilst supporting Bush’s terrorist war in Afghanistan, while trading with the terrorist dictatorship in Burma.

David Colyer
Christchurch
0210462011

they are apparently at the district court. look at www.scoop.co.nz for the TV3 footage of the raid on 128 including smashing the glass door in

Mmm

the terrorist in new plymouth has organised this, too much has come out, Dow is responsible for so much death and destruction it is no longer tolerable. Take up arms, support the Aotearoans who would fight.

Can those who know please supply court dates for those being charged so we can attend in support. tried calling @spaceinside earlier but no answer, hope everyone is safe and secure.

As far as I've heard, at least some of the Auckland and Rotorua arrestees, plus the four Wellington arrestees, were due in court at 2:15pm. Not sure if they've been heard yet or not.

I only picked up on this later in the day, I called ____ at aspaceinside earlier, not knowing he'd been arrested, but obviously no answer... hopefully I can contact him later since I want to give as much support to those who the government grabbed, as possible.

Love and solidarity to all from the Melbourne Friends of the Earth office.

Take care of yourselves, don't let em get you down.

xoxo

Just noticed that Tino Rangatiratanga website AoCafe is down. Not sure if it's related or not though.

it most certainly is related

According to the Press www.stuff.co.nz/4238498a6009.html Prime Minister Helen Clark’s office is behind the raids.

“A high level secret government group based out of Prime Minister Helen Clark's office has been involved in the unprecedented operation and Police Commissioner Howard Broad has told a press conference they had moved "in the interests of public safety".”

That's a coverup. If the corporate media are allowed to say that this ODESC committee were behind it, then you can bet your bottom dollar that they are just a front propped up for you to blame. The two real suspects as the "drivers" of this Terror Scare are the SIS, or possibly a rogue segment of the police.

Oooh... the mainstream media / police is spinning this story in a manner that would make Tony Blair drool...

* Raid and arrest many groups at once.

* Make claims about "training camps", "arms caches", "terrorists", "activists", "socalled peace activists and environmental groups".

* Let media frenzy begin.

* Since the media doesn't have any brain or attention span nobody notices...

- No link, apart from the fact the police have raided them, has been established between any of these groups. ie. All get tarred with same brush.

- The "training camps" seem to have nothing to do with the arms.

- Nobody has established whether the places/people raided have anything to do with these groups, or whether random gang / drug houses are included in the haul.

- the weapons the "peace activists" had seem to be a machete. ie. What you use to clear weeds.

None of this fits in a sound bite, but wow, it looks really Dangerous.

It reminds me of the worst days of apartheid South Africa where anyone remotely critical of the securocrats got "raided".

The fact they were "raided" was widely published, the fact "weapons were found" was published. The fact that nothing significant was found/proven to relate to that organization was never published or you really had to dig to find out.

When the fine detail finally comes out of court.... it all gets printed on page 5 of the news paper in quarter size the font or the original headlines.

So very very little information has actually come out at this point in time. But what would a casual reader / listener conclude?

What do the voters take home? The sound bite. "Peace Activists and Environmentalists and Maori are Dangerous Terrorists" vote for the party that is tough on The Bad People.

REVOLUTION!!!

All leftists, anarchists, tangata whenua march on Parliament and kick these f*ckers out!!!

Workers Unite!!!

... and get a nice friendly right winged government?

How will leftists uniting and taking control get in a right wing government?

I'm talking about a revolution a la Cuba/China/Soviet Union (although not necessarily doing the same as them when power is taken from the capitalist elite)

im adding my love and solidarity too

kia kaha

Best wishes and solidarity to all those arrested from a Rotorua anarchist.

pbgmlxbd http://jyodcchm.com hmthyxdo oehnfoum [URL=http://kzzvjzog.com]egfhikmh[/URL] xtzrywuv

The police that came to activist houses in Christchurch this morning were led by Detective Paul Baker of the Organised Crime Unit, Wellington Metro CIB

can we co-ordinate a national day of action for Saturday the 20th?

-Gwilym

gwilyms (at) gmail.com

Nah i'm busy that day.

golly. i just got home and saw this on the telly - special news bulletin thing - and they're calling it an "organised paramilitary operation" (err the people being raided, not the cops funnily enuff..) and they showed a picture of some scrub they reckoned was the site of training camps where a variety of activists recieved firearms training. i don't know if this is from the cops, or the media hyping it up, but wow what intense allegations!

sounds like a heavy and dangerous crock of stinky shite to me..

full support to everyone involved in this horrible situation!

.rosie

where don brash failed others are trying to succeed, probably with more advice from karl rove ("bush's brain"). this will be the beginning of more serious attempts to smear activists in NZ. be sure, this is corrupt cops & extreme right wingers pursuing their agenda. see "false flag" terror attacks to see how much worse it may get.

Dumb white boy here... Are u all saying they havnt got weapons that they were going to use against some one? If u dont know then shouldnt we wait for the courts and Police to find out if they were . And do u guys condon Violance against what you dont believe in.

OK dumb white boy. first you should learn to spell. Your grasp of your own language is appalling to say the least. And on the weapons thing, your grasp of history isn't all that good either. Your ancestors sowed the seeds of what is happening now and now that it's being possibly used against them, they don't like it. I know not all people, no matter what colour they are, can be painted with the same brush, but seriously dude, you really should take a close look at world history to see the unrest fostered by the "elite" colonial authorities in the name of greed and conquest. Africa, Native and South America and everywhere the anglo races have been. They created this monster and now it's biting the hand that fed it. I feel sorry for those of the anglo races who were placed in the predicament they are in because of the arrogance of those in power. No matter What race, creed or belief, we all must stand together and stop the destruction of our world by those who purport to be looking after our interests. The wool has been pulled over all of our eyes and we all will suffer the same fate in the end if we let their lies continue.

The right to challenge the ruling classes facist regime has taken a blow. The rights to sovereignty for the indigenous peoples of this nation is yet again being shat on. We must stand together and stop the madness.

The real terrorists allow and encourage opression, racism, fear and hatred. The real terrorists back facist western regimes in their imperialist pursuits around the globe. The real terrorists are the highly paid so called leaders of this country. Maybe we should lock them up.

Here's a communist take on the Bill when it was introduced in 2001.

communistworker.blogspot.com/2007/09/stop-imperialist-state-terror.html

The bosses now have a law that they can use to define any protest as 'terrorism'.

How to oppose this?
The protests that they define as 'terror' are protests against the daily terror of capitalist exploitation and oppression.
The fact that the bosses are driven to abandon basic bourgeois democracy proves that they cannot tolerate even such mild, inoffensive and largely pacifist protest. It shows that Clark's government is desperate to toady to Bush.
They are banking, literally, on intimidating us into passive acceptance of their terror. No doubt they also want to placade the rightwing racists who are going over the National.
Everybody has to treat this law with contempt.
If we strike, sit down on the job, hold rallies, keep protesting the 'war on terror', they can't lock us all up.
Dave

OK - SO WHAT IS THE PLAN?

I realise everyone is in a bit of shock and awe, but rallies, marches, bricks through windows and letters to the editor don't seem to cut it. I guess a strong legal attack on the government will be useful and a massive street media campaign could also be productive once the facts of todays events have been established (if there is any consensus about what happened, why to whom and what it means). One suggestion is that we all establish training camps that include weapons training (if the Air Cadets, Scouts and Hunting Club can do it anyone with a firearms license can!). We can all wear camo gear, carry copies of the Little Red Book and wave Tino Rangatiratanga flags to get attention and show the country how mad it all is. Of course that wouldn't work and we'd either end up in jail or an institution I guess. Any better/productive/constructive ideas?

I think phone calls to the Prime Minister's office might help a tiny bit. Protesting at the arrest and detention on unknown grounds of a number of individuals associated with activist activities who do not on what grounds they are being detained.

And can someone ask Sam B to email me or call me please? manu[at]ahi.co.nz or 0274202957 (I've got nothing to hide Ms Clark).

Thanks,
Manu Caddie

You know what they are calling the detainees / training movement /what-have-you on other forums? Te Qaeda. AHhha ahaahahaha! So amusing.

Just heard about these reports in Australia. Sounds like a beat up to end all beat ups. After the APEC crackdown in Australia- its seems the establishments tolerance for civil disobedience is shrinking by the minute. Hang in there - its one thing to arrest people - its another to make the charges stick in the courts.
Solidarity from Melbourne

So tonight i sit, hiding, behind drawn curtains
Counting my bullets, in the flickers of candle light
Waiting, For the sirens wail,
It could never come to soon

And, i thought this would be so easy,
But im still whispering my prayers.
This i will say,
I'm not in it for the fame,
And this, is not an unplanned act of anger,
This is just the way the tide has turned,
and, Trust me, I'd rather be fighting for the losing side
Because brother, It's not just your actions they hold against you,
It's the words on your lips as you pull that bloodied trigger,
As you blow them all away,
I hope i've made the right choice,
But there's no time left to think,
And i pray that your on the winning side,
Because brother, all your flaws are circumstance,
'N' fuck, if I'm gunna kill an innocent man, he'd better be a friend,
Because brother, tonight i kill, not in anger, but with love,
So I've got my 8 grams of justice, my fists, and my knife,
And i won't wait half a fucking second,
To put a bullet between your eyes,
and i expect the same from you,
I won't hesitate at all, to buy our freedom with your blood,
But brother, I wish it could be mine,
Because all your flaws are circumstance -
We're only human in these front lines
And only lucky soldiers can choose their sides
So, brothers please forgive me,
Because every last round, is for you
So I'm praying that some Holy Angel has your back.
Just do what you must, we all bleed the same,
So if your eyes meet mine, across this bloodstained street,
Brother, know this,
Yeah, I love you, but im not gunna miss.

- Peace and love from the north. Just my thoughts on coming times.

Hi Guys.
From Stuff.co.nz:

"She reports that this morning's arrests are the culmination of months of work by a specialist police anti-terror unit which has hundreds of hours of recordings from bugged conversations, video surveillance, and tapped cellphone calls and texts."

Repition for emphasis: [em]hundreds[/em] of hours... [em]months[/em] of work... [em]tapped cellphones[/em]...

I'm not sure what the truth behind these allegations are, so I for one am drawing few conclusions.
One of my few conclusions is this -
A lot of activists who have been operating perfectly within the law (regardless of whatever their pals have been up to)have been inside a high-tech, well orchestrated surveillance event-horizon for a long time.

Cease to assume that being law-abiding gives you moral safety from covert surveillance. Take the security of activist activity more seriously, without fear of being labelled paranoid.

Having nothing to hide doesn't protect you either.
Taking your privacy seriously protects the people around you.

I don't mean to be rude or anything here, but this series of raids could be a god thing for the activist community here, if it inspires people to learn how to protect their security and privacy.

Sure - no amount of vigilance can entirely protect anyone from police harrassment - but securing your communications costs the harassers time and money. Sometimes they just give up.

Anyway, good luck to all, and I hope this gets resolved as soon as possible.

OK - SO WHAT IS THE PLAN?

I realise everyone is in a bit of shock and awe, but rallies, marches, bricks through windows and letters to the editor don't seem to cut it. I guess a strong legal attack on the government will be useful and a massive street media campaign could also be productive once the facts of todays events have been established (if there is any consensus about what happened, why to whom and what it means). One suggestion is that we all establish training camps that include weapons training (if the Air Cadets, Scouts and Hunting Club can do it anyone with a firearms license can!). We can all wear camo gear, carry copies of the Little Red Book and wave Tino Rangatiratanga flags to get attention and show the country how mad it all is. Of course that wouldn't work and we'd either end up in jail or an institution I guess. Any better/productive/constructive ideas?

I think phone calls to the Prime Minister's office might help a tiny bit. Protesting at the arrest and detention on unknown grounds of a number of individuals associated with activist activities who do not on what grounds they are being detained.

And can someone ask Sam B to email me or call me please? manu[at]ahi.co.nz or 0274202957 (I've got nothing to hide Ms Clark).

Thanks,
Manu Caddie

The Global Agenda hits home. The resistant will be targeted first to clear way for the hearding of the sheep.
Love and Solidarity to those arrested. It's time to leave our petty differences behind and unite in the face of humanities most crucial time. Our freedom is at stake. We have the number. Unity, Integrity, and awareness are our weapons.
Kia Kaha Whanau
I love you all

What a bunch of bleeding heart Wallies. They threatened to kill the PM. They planned co-ordinated terrorist attacks. Aren't you lucky your partner, kids or Mum wasn't killed. Oh sorry, anyone related to you is likely already dying - from a bleeding heart.

They did neither ya clown. Read the pigs' press release.

And to the guy using angst filled poetry to gear up for going on a ego driven (deny it all u like but its pono)rampage "in times to come", just hope
you'd be prepared to kill the kids as well as parents "out of love",because orphans can be a problem.

frnvnrih [URL=http://pcjglmpn.com]izwdwvim[/URL] qgvfxjxo http://vhafcxza.com chivqtrx pzckngnk

REVOLUTION!!!!!(i loved that call)
i'm actually in shock(!!) as i read this, but somehow i think it will come out lookin better for us and terrible for govt
gees, excitement aye?
i'm just thinkin of the whanau in those nasty cells!!!!
aroha ake ake kia kaha te whanau o aotearoa
xxxooo
PEACE AND PERSERVERANCE BE THE REAL POWER

i'm just thinkin of the whanau in those nasty cells!!!!

I wouldn't be too concerned most of them looked like they had already spent significant amounts of time in one.

Its hilarious all these so-called peace activists who suddenly seem to find violence and attacks on democracy okay when its a cause they approve of.

Its mind boggling the idiocy and hypocrisy being displayed here.

except none attacked anything - some dont even know each other, and there is a terrorism bill waiting to be passed.....

2+2 always equals 5 for some

Where is this terrorist filled town Aotearoa?
Cannot find it on a map of New Zealand anywhere. All the other towns mentioned are in New Zealand.

Police stooge says Guilty until proved innocent.

Police stooge : 'Innocent till proven Guilty' in other countries...

Good to see some pigs (and their redneck stooges) can still read and write.

so is redneck accectable or is it just more rascism,but i suppose like lefty violence its deemed to be ok?hypocrites all.

Sorry this has nothing to do with the arrests but Mrs Clark seems to have appeared on amnesty nz's homepage! I wonder if I am seeing things! Is this the same woman who never 'found the time' to meet the dalai lama? Or maybe its her evil twin, out there trying to give herslef good publicity.

Good to see Helen in Tonga , sorting out the democracy issue in Fiji , shes so onto it, she would like them to walk their talk , before she engages.

In regards to Helen Clark appearing on Amnesty's website. This is to do with a completely different item from both the raids and the Dalai Lama.
Nonetheless, I am still unsure of Amnesy's stance on this week's raids, and would be curious to find out.

I read the above comments and it typifies the exisitng stereotypes of the "free speaking" liberal left. As usual your contributors seem to be in favour of free speech unless someone disagrees with them. Then they resort to name-calling ("Pig Stooge" and "redneck") and other forms of petty censorship. (How long till the posts are removed from this blog?). Nobody has yet been able to answer why these activitists have all been arrested on firearms charges if they're only participating in peaceful protest?

It is a very sad day in New Zealand history when the police start mass arrests targeting groups of people working for peace and environmental causes.

I give you much love and hope.

Kia Kaha!

Yours,

Cherry
Hannah

Is this Hannah with the dreads who thinks shes really cool just because she sings songs about nature ? Grow up Hannah.

"Nobody has yet been able to answer why these activitists [sic] have all been arrested on firearms charges if they're only participating in peaceful protest?"
Because the pigs (e.g. Shipton, Schollum, Dewar and Rickards) are in the habit of lying through their anuses.

Notice that three out of these four are in jail, and the fourth discredited and likely to be dismissed. None of them, I suspect, were involved in organising the current action.

Rather than tarring all police as lying pigs and facist oppressors (a very facist mentality), consider the words of Louise Nicholas, since you make reference to her case:

"These are decent police officers who have toiled away from there families for more than three years ... They have restored my faith and trust that I had lost a longtime ago in the New Zealand police."

There are decent police officers, usually in the serious crash unit or community constables. I have had dealings with both those groups. But the type of psychopaths who raid activists in Wellington are not decent officers, they come more from the mould of Dewar and Shipton.

BOPPie

"Because the pigs (e.g. Shipton, Schollum, Dewar and Rickards)are in the habit of lying through their anuses."

I doubt that any of these four gentlemen are involved in the current operation. In fact, I think three of them are currently in jail, and the four so discredited he'll likely lose his job.

Instead of making generalisations about the police, why not consider the words of Louise Nicholas, since you see fit to reference her case:

"I would like to thank Operation Austin, these are decent police officers who have toiled away from their families for more than three years. They have done their duty and they have restored the faith and trust I lost a long time ago in New Zealand police."

Apologiys for the multiple postings.

"Nobody has yet been able to answer why these activitists [sic] have all been arrested on firearms charges if they're only participating in peaceful protest?"
Well, when you've invited TV3 along to see how well you smash windows, your not gonna say "sorry, our mistake. You can go back to bed now."

WHAT THE BET THAT THEY USE THIS SITUATION TO ALSO ARREST TAGGERS , GANGS AND ANY OTHER UNACCEPATBLE PEOPLE IN SOCIETY , NZ GOVT CLEANING UP....

Free the Urewera 17. We love and support you people!

'Decent police officers' are the one who smile and make polite conversation just before they assault the non-violent activist standing next to you, or hit your head with a truncheon.

Oh my god, listen to yourselves
these idiots are playing round with unregistered weapons and you all rush to their side?
tell the truth, you dont care about these people at all, you just get warm fuzzies from comparing youselves to real activists and revolutionaries. What if these morons had shown up in your neighbourhood? and just a thought, who turned this into a race issue? cause i'm sick of having to answer for the color of my skin every time some moron does something and just happens to be maori, of course you can all label me a racist for my remarks, a handy little defense mechanism i'll admit, but the truth is that although my skin pigment is white my heritage comes from both "european" and maori sources.

Colonised

I think if you look at what you have quoted you really sound very uneducated. Dont make comments like this, we the anarchists, the feminists, the anti-establishment, the Maori activists will fight. We will do what we have to to get our message across.

oh your just another person to chuck on the ignorant list

"""Where is this terrorist filled town Aotearoa?
Cannot find it on a map of New Zealand anywhere. All the other towns mentioned are in New Zealand.""",,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
the Former British "crown" knows Independence is coming to Aotearoa, if one can buy a new/er World Map you will find the word Aotearoa in Paras below the very ugly words "new zealand".

Not only is Aotea or Aotearoa the real name of said real estate, it sounds much nicer as well.
soon those ugly words will be gone, kinda like "rhodesia", or Burma

The police are lying scum, but then so are most of the people involved in this

TAMA is racist jerk, I don't support racists, no mater what colour they are and neither should you.

Jamie Lockett, is nothing short of stupid- a stupid fat, soft living, souless, white man.
hopefully gets what he deserves- ignored, even his own people don't like him

any bet the da governemnt hav already got ther master plan and they are al laughing at us

I write in a fortnightly column in our local paper
hopefully they will print this one...

Deep thoughts with Dallas

Yes I’m back from manila and next column I will fill you in a bit on the adventure.
But this week I wanted to talk (korero) with you about something that is pressing quite close to my heart. I’m talking about what has taken place since October the 15th in Ruatoki.

Now I’ve done a bit of research on this, and it began with a journey into the psyche of the perceived head of this movement “Tame iti”. But the more I look into this. It’s turning out to be something completely different. Now like everyone (apart from those who have been arrested under the terrorism suppression act) I don’t know the full story, and I don’t know who is right and who is wrong. But reading account after account of the tactic that were used in these “family” raids.It makes me feel kind of sick to my stomach. October 15th 2007 could be another November the 5th 1881 at the village of Parihaka.
Another peaceful people who will never be the same again.

Dr Pita Sharples said this in regards to the journey of Maori and Pakeha recently

“This week's anti-terror raids have set race relations back 100 years.”

Could he be right? What happens if grenade launchers that were found turn out to be “spud guns”, and arms turn out to be household “machetes”.
Even worst what happens if non-violent activists with a voice and a social conscience have been labeled “terrorists”. What will this do to the trust levels of the people of Aotearoa.
Could the war on terrorists using terror be terror itself. Who is the terrorist then?
I don’t know what Tame’s plans were or are, but I think the more important question we need to be asking is this. What are the real underlying issues here?
With options and titles being thrown around such as “terrorism, activists, freedom and prisoners” all being spoken of in the same breathe. I am slightly(actually quite a lot-ly) unnerved by the direction our country is heading in.

I hope October 5th will be a litmus for us.
That we will really evaluate what we believe.

This was a statement made by friends of the arrested.
We can say that they are a huge part of our community and contribute to our lives in so many ways. All of them give us love and support every day. They are fun and wonderful friends. The four include Maori (Te Ati Awa) and non-Maori, and are artists, musicians and writers, builders, a teacher, a librarian. They are our friends, lovers, and family We miss them deeply. We want them back now.
We demand:
- no charges be laid under the Terrorism Suppression Act;
- all prisoners be immediately released;
- an independent investigation into the conduct of police during the raids.
UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
UNCONDITIONAL SOLIDARITY
UNCONDITIONAL FREEDOM
They are all incredibly community-spirited, and are involved in a huge range of projects focused on social justice and community building.
We need to think long and hard about this event and what it means, for we are not only fighting
for those “the accused” freedom.
But also our own.

so you dont know whar mr Itis plans were,what u makin a comment for?

can u stop

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what is the meaning of this? and who are they? sorry i wana do assgnmt on them and i cant find the definition for it.

ka rawe ke nga tuhituhinga nei kia kaha tatau ki te tautoko i te kaupapa o ngai tuhoe, o ngai tatau hoki! kawea te kaupapa ki te ao!