Police and authorities were lulled into a false sense of peace, as there had yet to be any demonstrations two days after the Springboks arrived in Hamilton. On Friday, the Boks trained on the grounds with no incidents. Later that day, protesters assembled for a “candle light rally in Garden Place … Those arriving from Auckland felt rather disheartened as they looked around the impressive but timid gathering.” However, after a round of speeches were given, there was a call for another meeting outside the hotel where the Springboks were staying and as the crowd headed south it began to grow rapidly in size and spirit. Upon reaching the hotel there were estimated to be around 500 protesters present all singing, shouting or chanting as they moved around the grounds of the hotel before halting opposite the wing the Springboks inhabited, similarly, to the protest outside Sandown Park Hotel in Gisborne. “For more than an hour, [the Springboks] were regaled with chanting, singing, whistling and hooting.” (4)
In amongst the crowd were many plain-clothes detectives who posing as demonstrators, “pointed out particular protesters who were later seized from the group by the notorious “snatch squads”, usually at the end when the demonstration was breaking up” (4). Although they only managed one arrest that particular night, it became a regular habit of the police in demonstrations around the country. This caused tension and confusion among the protesters which lead to more fights breaking out and ultimately more arrests.
Statements such as “The protesters will rapidly run out of steam” (4) (Minister of Police Ben Couch) fuelled demonstrators and gave them hope that the protest was strong enough; the game could be cancelled due to the police and governments underestimations. On the morning of the game, two marches “made their way from opposite sides of the city towards Garden Place where the big rally was timed for mid-day, but it was here that the real plans were being made. As people arrived the went in to one of two rooms according to whether they wanted to be part of ‘Operation Everest’ – the assault from outside the park or part of the run on to the field from inside the ground.” (4) In preparation of this, around 200 tickets had been purchased prior to the day and many more were bought on the morning of the match. The ‘insiders’ field invasion, led by a group of Baptist trainee ministers, sorted out their strategy in one room while the ‘outsiders’ figured out the logistics of getting such a large group of people through the fence and onto the field from the outside. Simultaneously, another group of protesters gathered outside the Springboks’’ hotel and hurled paint-bombs at the team got onto their bus. Around 5000 protesters arrived for the midday rally at Garden Place and a slight delay in departure ensured that they would not arrive at the grounds too early.
“As the crowd grew closer, the tension and momentum increased” (4), however, they remained extremely disciplined and always listening out and following instructions as a group. This display of togetherness and support for a common cause was formidable in itself, especially for such huge numbers. Although there were specialists at the front of the march carrying wire cutters and chains to pull the fence down, there was no time to use them. “Instead, hundreds of hands grabbed the fence and it was down within seconds … The marchers stepped over the fence in rows and then raced up the bank inside the ground. Those in front had scuffles with police and rugby fans, but the inside protesters were in the area too, and almost immediately the way was clear and the open field lay before them.” (4) Eyewitness accounts describe it as a “human wave that flooded down the terraces and on to the field, some with banners and several bearing a large wooden cross from St John’s. At the same time, protesters on the inside were letting of smoke bombs and others were leaping over the low fence and racing to join the others in the middle. Soon there about 400 there, linking arms and facing outwards to the crowd.” (4) However, police quickly responded and the Red Squad with their visors and batons made their way onto the field too to “blood thirsty roars of the crowd” (4).
Negotiations between Father Terry Dibble CARE Secretary and Police Commissioner Bob Walton began but protesters remained adamant stating, “Call of the game and we’ll call of the protest!” (4) However, neither side wanted to give in resulting in an hour long impasse. In an attempt to prove their might, police began arresting individuals and small groups from the tightly linked group. The protesters fought tooth and nail, struggling to free themselves from the grips of the police and tensions mounted. There also was news that Pat McQuarrie, who had flour bombed a softball match between South Africa and New Zealand previously, was flying a plane headed for Hamilton and intended to crash the plane into the crowd. Police took the threat seriously and moments later an announcement rang out in the Stadium that the game was cancelled. Furious rugby fans left the stands and began attacking the protesters.
In amongst the crowd were many plain-clothes detectives who posing as demonstrators, “pointed out particular protesters who were later seized from the group by the notorious “snatch squads”, usually at the end when the demonstration was breaking up” (4). Although they only managed one arrest that particular night, it became a regular habit of the police in demonstrations around the country. This caused tension and confusion among the protesters which lead to more fights breaking out and ultimately more arrests.
Statements such as “The protesters will rapidly run out of steam” (4) (Minister of Police Ben Couch) fuelled demonstrators and gave them hope that the protest was strong enough; the game could be cancelled due to the police and governments underestimations. On the morning of the game, two marches “made their way from opposite sides of the city towards Garden Place where the big rally was timed for mid-day, but it was here that the real plans were being made. As people arrived the went in to one of two rooms according to whether they wanted to be part of ‘Operation Everest’ – the assault from outside the park or part of the run on to the field from inside the ground.” (4) In preparation of this, around 200 tickets had been purchased prior to the day and many more were bought on the morning of the match. The ‘insiders’ field invasion, led by a group of Baptist trainee ministers, sorted out their strategy in one room while the ‘outsiders’ figured out the logistics of getting such a large group of people through the fence and onto the field from the outside. Simultaneously, another group of protesters gathered outside the Springboks’’ hotel and hurled paint-bombs at the team got onto their bus. Around 5000 protesters arrived for the midday rally at Garden Place and a slight delay in departure ensured that they would not arrive at the grounds too early.
“As the crowd grew closer, the tension and momentum increased” (4), however, they remained extremely disciplined and always listening out and following instructions as a group. This display of togetherness and support for a common cause was formidable in itself, especially for such huge numbers. Although there were specialists at the front of the march carrying wire cutters and chains to pull the fence down, there was no time to use them. “Instead, hundreds of hands grabbed the fence and it was down within seconds … The marchers stepped over the fence in rows and then raced up the bank inside the ground. Those in front had scuffles with police and rugby fans, but the inside protesters were in the area too, and almost immediately the way was clear and the open field lay before them.” (4) Eyewitness accounts describe it as a “human wave that flooded down the terraces and on to the field, some with banners and several bearing a large wooden cross from St John’s. At the same time, protesters on the inside were letting of smoke bombs and others were leaping over the low fence and racing to join the others in the middle. Soon there about 400 there, linking arms and facing outwards to the crowd.” (4) However, police quickly responded and the Red Squad with their visors and batons made their way onto the field too to “blood thirsty roars of the crowd” (4).
Negotiations between Father Terry Dibble CARE Secretary and Police Commissioner Bob Walton began but protesters remained adamant stating, “Call of the game and we’ll call of the protest!” (4) However, neither side wanted to give in resulting in an hour long impasse. In an attempt to prove their might, police began arresting individuals and small groups from the tightly linked group. The protesters fought tooth and nail, struggling to free themselves from the grips of the police and tensions mounted. There also was news that Pat McQuarrie, who had flour bombed a softball match between South Africa and New Zealand previously, was flying a plane headed for Hamilton and intended to crash the plane into the crowd. Police took the threat seriously and moments later an announcement rang out in the Stadium that the game was cancelled. Furious rugby fans left the stands and began attacking the protesters.