During the tour no one was killed but many were injured by police and their batons. The 1981 springbok south african rugby tour was among the most divisive events in new zealands history. Cancellation of 73 tour antispringbok tour protests new. In 1980 john minto became the national chairman of the organization and he played a vital part in the protests against the 1981 springbok tour of new zealand. Tension around the country grew as the springbok tour made its way around new zealand. The match was due to take place in auckland, and crowds at the grounds were at their most violent out of all the matches played. On the 19th of july 1981, the springbok rugby team was officially welcomed into new zealand on a gisborne marae. Up until the tour i had very strong pacifist views, in fact i only supported cost because they took a stance of nonviolence. The soweto riots in 1976, where police shot down peaceful student protests and killed more than 170 young people, were wellcovered by media outlets and the international community was affronted with the violent realities of racial segregation and discrimination. The greatest and most recognised consequence of the 1981 springbok tour protests in my opinion was new zealands aid in ending apartheid in south africa. It caused controversy amongst new zealand society and it was the largest civil dispute seen since the 1951 waterfront strike. The different political parties directly influenced decisions made around the communication and organisation of sporting fixtures with south. The extent that antitour protestors, protour supporters and the police force went to to fulfill their obligations greatly exceeded the expectations of most as the nation came very close to a civil war. The nature of protest action and the policing of the tour had taken an irrevocable turn for the worse.
A ground invasion by several hundred antitour protesters and the fact that a light aircraft stolen from taupo was rumoured to be headed for rugby park proved too much for the authorities. The conflict within new zealand over sporting contacts with apartheid south africa reached a peak in the protests against the 1981 springbok rugby tour of new zealand. However as opposition to apartheid grew in the decades prior to the 1981 springbok tour, conflict began surround the apartheid policy in south africa. Critics argued that molesworth street was about the police. The records of the protests that rocked the nation will go under the hammer at aucklands bowerbank ninow gallery. The anti tour movement carried out protests gathering much support all over new zealand.
Some consequences of the 1981 springbok tour was that south africa never toured new zealand again till after apartheid in south africa had ended in 1994. He has told me some great stories about that tour as he followed the tour for some north island dates including the infamous game at the end of the tour in auckland complete with low flying flour bombers. During the springbok tour of 1981 there was a lot of protest and unrest about letting the springboks play in new zealand. These small protests turned into a nation wide protest, becoming massive. Before 1981, there had been a number of sporting relations between the all blacks and the springboks, both teams had participated in a number of rugby tours beginning in 1921 however, south africas apartheid regime caused problems, given that in new zealand, rugby was a sport with a large number of maori players. Testament to the courage and faith of both the marchers and a large team of filmmakers, the featurelength documentary is a landmark in aotearoas film history. They also have a special webpage dedicated to the feature film patu. In many ways the playing of rugby took a back seat in 1981, and the sport suffered in the following years as players and supporters came to terms with the fallout from the tour. In the long term it was surprisingly effective in helping to bring to an end the apartheid system in south africa. The springboks and new zealands national rugby team, the all blacks, have a long. Heres a look back at one of the most controversial. Police and the first test 1981 springbok tour youtube. Rugby union is the national sport of new zealand, the all b. However, unlike the fullscale maori welcome at poho o rawiri 4 previously, the 1981 tour had a different feel to.
The effects of the 1981 springbok rugby tour are still being felt by former red squad member constable dennis rastovich, who. This was at a time when the apartheid regime was still in power in south africa. Includes perspectives of police, protestors, politicians, rugby. Heres a look back at one of the most controversial sporting tours ever. Youve had electricity new zealand, now youve got power.
During springbok tours of britain and australia in 1970 and 1971, there were strong and somewhat violent protests, culminating in a sense of unrest both in south africa and their host countries. Wherever the all white south african team went it faced protests by angry workers and youth, and. Springbok tour protesters, 1981 government and sport te. Ministry of culture and heritage springbok tour page. Antispringbok tour protestors at palmerston north, 1981. Consequencesaftermath aftermath springbok tour 1981. My father tony was at the palmerston north protests in 1981. A key cause of the protests at the 1981 springbok tour was increased opposition to the apartheid regime. A key cause of the 1981 springbok tour protests was the cancellation of the 1973 tour. And of course i knew about the 1981 springboks the common name for. Clashes between rugby fans and antitour protesters became a prominent feature of the 1981 protests, and illustrated how deeply new zealand society had been divided. Though they were officially welcomed by the new zealand government, there was a sense of dread and anticipation that surrounded their arrival perhaps, some thought, the 1981 tour should have been cancelled like the tour in 1972 was.
Gisbourne, hamilton, wellington, christchurch and auckland saw the wrath of the protests with a lot of the. The red squad was formed to handle nonviolent disruptions by anti tour groups. Those opposing the tour were left with an extreme sense of moral outrage and political impotence. Photos of the 1970s antiapartheid protests and 1981 springbok tour feature in millers exhibition tour scrums, opening at city gallery on february 1. The 1981 south african rugby tour known in new zealand as the springbok tour, and in south africa as the rebel tour polarised opinions and inspired widespread protests across new zealand. The controversy also extended to the united states, where the south african rugby team continued their tour after departing new zealand. By all accounts it is shaping up to be a nonevent in new zealand with less than a third of those polled taking an active interest in the event despite rugby being the national sport of new zealand. New zealanders protest against springbok rugby tour, 1981. People did not want them in our country for many reasons for example at the time of the tour, south africa was practising a policy of apartheid which was supposed to be separate but equal but was in fact incredibly unfair on the black population in south africa. A new poll in may 1981 showed that 43% of people opposed the tour with 41% in favour. Consequences antispringbok tour protest in new zealand. During the springbok rugby tour of 1981, new zealand was divided over a system of racial segregation thousands of miles away. On the 12th of september 1981, was the third and final test match to be played in the springbok tour of new zealand.
Primary sources in new zealand taken from 56 days, a history of the antitour movement in wellington. Over the 56 days of the tour, 150,000 people had protested in over 200 demonstrations, in 28 different centres around new zealand. This statistic shows that the tables turned and people in new zealand were no longer so supportive if the tour, there was an opposition to the rugby union and the muldoon governments decisions, becoming one of the causes of the protests of the 1981 tour. Despite the heated political and social debate that had occurred in the leadup to the tour s commencement, few foresaw the descent of the countrys populace into what could only be described as civil war. Controversial 1981 springbok dropgoal to tie the nz maori. What caused the protest to stop the tour was the fact that south africa was an apartheid country and other countries were strongly. It didnt tale me long to realize this was a tactical stance rather. Includes perspectives of police, protestors, politicians, rugby fans and the n. A tvnz documentary from 2001, looking back at the events of 20 years previous. As the 2011 rugby world cup opens up in new zealand we publish an interesting comment by miles lacey on the sharp class divide that was revealed during the 1981 south african springbok tour of the country. In christchurch the thrust of the protest was to spread the police cordon around the venue by coming at lancaster park from all angles.
An extensive collection of historic video footage of the 1981 tour protests can be viewed as the new zealand film archive in wellington. When sports minister trevor mallard welcomes the 2006 springboks at a parliamentary function this evening, it will be 25 years to the day since the divisive tour of 1981 began. The 1981 springbok tour details miles lacey 10 september 2011 from 9 th september to 23 rd october, 2011, new zealand will be the host to the 2011 rugby world cup. Can you tell us more about the information on this page. Opportunities to practice protests 1970 tour, 1971 sa surfing team tour of nz, 1976 sa softball team tour of nz. A look at the police role in during the springbok tour protests. As a result of the 1981 springbok tour going ahead an elite police force nick named the red squad was formed to control anti tour protestors. This primary source is very useful in showing, from a firsthand experience, the divide in new zealand society that game as a result of the different opinions about the tour. Apartheid is an afrikaans word meaning apartness or separation, during the 1920s and 1930s the white south african government passed many laws to segregate their society. From day one of the tour new zealanders began to protest, a 2,000 strong crowd greeting them at the airport chanting amandla. South africa selected their first springbok player of colour for the tour in errol tobias. Wherever the all white south african team went it faced protests by angry workers and. As a result of the 1981 springbok tour going ahead an elite police force nick named the red squad was formed to control antitour protestors.
Apartheid one of the main reasons which lead to the 1981 springbok tour was the apartheid in south africa. Apartheid is an afrikaans word meaning apartness or separation, during the 1920s and 1930s. For 56 days in july, august and september 1981, new zealanders were divided against each other in the largest civil disturbance seen since the 1951 waterfront dispute. When we look at the relation of this to the protests around the 1981 springbok tour of new zealand we can obviously see the relation. Primary sources from the event new zealand protests. What wereare your views on the 1981 springbok tour protest. Springbok tour protesters, 1981 government and sport. Thousands of people viewed the springbok tour as an opportunity to isolate south african sport and call for a change in south african legislation concerning. What wereare your views on the 1981 springbok tour. Protests were held in new zealand before and during the tour. Read about the tour here there were many long and short term consequences of the 1981 springbok tour protests, both in new zealand and throughout the world. These protests has been recorded as the worst in new zealand rugby. The tour of a south african rugby team during a period when apartheid legislation was still in effect struck a nerve with new zealanders.
The 1981 south african rugby tour polarised opinions and inspired widespread protests across. As with the 1965 springbok tour, gisborne was where the 1981 tour commenced. The springbok rugby teams tour of aotearoa, new zealand in 1981 brought forward issues around racism and specifically, apartheid in south africa. The game against waikato was called off in front of a full house at rugby park. Antitour groups antispringbok tour protests new zealand 1981. Though the antispringbok protests were largely unsuccessful in that the vast majority of the planned contests took place, they were able to raise an incredible amount of awareness for the antiapartheid movement. The red squad was formed to handle nonviolent disruptions by antitour groups. Gisbourne, hamilton, wellington, christchurch and auckland saw the wrath of the protests with a lot of the protests ending in severe violence and injury.
Tour diary 1981 springbok tour nzhistory, new zealand. However, unlike the fullscale maori welcome at poho o rawiri 4 previously, the 1981 tour had a different feel to it. It shows how important the tour protests were to many new zealanders, especially because new zealand is a multiracial nation, and does not condone apartheid in any way. This picture to the left is of a badge issued by hart. The 1981 springbok tour was an extremely divisive issue for new zealand. One of the most significant causes of the events during the 1981 springbok tour was the influence of the government during this time.
Photos of the 1981 springbok tour protests from the herald archives. New zealand and south africa were rivals within rugby and frequently played each other. Jun 19, 2018 tension around the country grew as the springbok tour made its way around new zealand. The events in south africa definitely had an effect on the protests in new zealand. The intensity and pervasiveness of the protests against the 1981 springbok tour were indicative of a number of increasingly evident social and political changes that were occurring at the time. It also shows the violence that was occurring due to the protests, not just by the police but also by fellow new zealanders. The cause of this was the visit of the south african rugby team the springboks. Cancellation of 73 tour antispringbok tour protests. A long term consequence that we could consider as one the most important consequences was that this tour helped bring an end to the antiapartheid in south africa. Many consequences had occurred during the 1981 springbok tour protest. Here police and protesters confront one another at palmerson north on 1 august 1981, when south africa played manawatu.
Interview with marx jones, the pilot of the plane which flourbombed eden park during the last match of the 1981 springbok rugby tour. The different political parties directly influenced decisions made around the communication and organisation of sporting fixtures with south africa, and also peoples views on the 1981 tour. The 1981 springbok tour was one of the most polarizing events in new zealands history. They were dressed in riot gear and were equipped with long batons that were 60 cm long and riot helmets. He believes the protests would not have happened if there hadnt been such strong feelings about the springboks being in new zealand.
Many kiwis protested against the tour as a way to reject south africa. Trevor richards however, says that the 1981 springbok tour protests were mainly about racism and a now bygone fanaticism for rugby, with an element of antimuldoonism. Springbok tour protests good for maori hart leader john minto says the 1981 springbok tour protests helped to improve the situation for maori in new zealand. The sole purpose of this was to keep white people in control of politics and the economy, because they new that the.
Rare collection of photographs from 1981 springbok tour of new. Some of the protestors in new zealand had images of biko as were chanting biko. Sep 12, 2011 as the 2011 rugby world cup opens up in new zealand we publish an interesting comment by miles lacey on the sharp class divide that was revealed during the 1981 south african springbok tour of the country. Today is 32 years since police removed maori from bastion point te karere 25 may 2010. Feb 20, 2009 1981 springbok tour, protests arrests and fights. For some commentators, these events were a watershed in our view of ourselves. A young naas botha also made the springbok side for this tour. A proposed all blacks tour of south africa was met with protest. The fervour of activists had whipped up unprecedented feelings both for and against the springbok tour. In the 1960s and 70s, many new zealanders had come to believe that playing sport with south africa condoned its racist apartheid system. However rugby was and still is the main sport in new zealand and south africa were considered to be the all blacks most formidable opponent and despite the controversy and a major split in opinion the new zealand rugby union decided to proceed with the 1981 springbok tour of new zealand. A short film for an exhibition at wellingtons museum of city and sea, where each of the last 100 years is represented by an artefact. The controversy also extended to the united states, where the south african rugby team continued their tour after departing new zealand apartheid had made south africa an international pariah, and other.