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Allegations
of Abuse in Institutions |
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Request for PCA
Independent Investigation Following the letter we faxed to
the Police Complaints Authority yesterday - Sunday 20th March – we are amazed
that we have to follow-up so quickly with a further complaint concerning
appalling police behaviour this morning at the Auckland District Court which
resulted in the arrest of 5 supporters of Global Peace and Justice Auckland. The people concerned had entered
the foyer of the court as members of the public to support a person appearing
in court. They were confronted in the court lobby by a phalanx of police who
barred access to the court and who produced a court manager to say they were
not to enter the court as they may be carrying “political material”. They were not carrying any such
material but one women had a copy of the previous days Sunday Herald
newspaper which carried a photo of police violently manhandling a member of
the Saturday protest. This was put away and the group
requested entry to the court. While this matter was being
discussed with the court manager the police then warned the group to leave
and claimed they were trespassing in the court. This was an utterly bizarre claim
as the foyer is a public place with each and every member of the group acting
in a perfectly reasonable manner. However despite questions and
discussions continuing with at least 2 of the group and the court manager all
were arrested in short order. The 4 women and one man arrested
are justice and peace campaigners as well as members of the public. They
acted within the law and were utterly reasonable in their behaviour and
language at all times. The action of the police was
unreasonable, boorish, vindictive and clearly to us unlawful. It is behaviour
one might expect in a militaristic police state but not New Zealand. |
