Allegations of Abuse by NZ Police
	peterellis Home / police allegations / Rickards, Shipton, Schollum vs Jane Doe Page 7 - Further Reaction to Not Guilty Verdict
	One News March 8 2007 Protesters vent fury over police trial Source: newstalk ZB A small group among an estimated 500 protesters in Wellington has spraypainted the front doors of the city's High Court. The group of women, who had their faces covered, also stuffed paper into a police uniform and set it alight. The crowd gathered outside the police station in Victoria Street then marched down Lambton Quay where a small group of women spray-painted justice slogans across the front doors of the High Court. The marchers were protesting against the outcome of the recent police sex trial and were calling for justice for victims of sexual abuse. There is anger following acquittals in the recent police sex trials, with organisers saying only 1% of rape cases result in convictions. They say victims of rape are more on trial than the people being accused. A vigil was also planned for Christchurch. In Auckland men and women of all ages gathered to take part in a march for survivors of rape and to demonstrate a lack of faith in the justice system. During speeches in Aotea Square before the march down Queen Street, protesters called for a full investigation into the criminal justice system. Many were outraged at court suppression orders and claim rape victims are put on trial in sex cases rather than the accused. All expressed a strong lack of faith in Clint Rickards and demanded he lose his job as Auckland's police chief. Rickards and former police officers Brad Shipton and Bob Schollum were last week cleared of kidnapping and indecent assault charges on a 16-year-old in Rotorua in the 1980s. The protests were part of International Women's Day. Organiser Frances Martin says society needs to stick up for women in what she calls sisterly solidarity. Women were encouraged to dress in black, marking an international awareness campaign tackling violence against women. Police unfairly branded But police are urging the public to ease up on the local force. Inspector Alistair Dickie is in charge of Dunedin's frontline police and says the events the protests are about happened in the 70s and 80s when many of today's officers were not even born. Dickie says he feels sorry for today's young police who feel they are being unfairly branded but are still doing their best for the public. Dickie says he doesn't believe there is a negative culture in the police although there may be one or two small groups within the force of 10,000 officers.