Christchurch: the first All Black v Springbok test
On the 25th of August in Christchurch there was another protest. This was the first game to be played against the All Blacks, with the game in Gisborne being against Poverty Bay. Some protesters managed to get through a line of police and invaded the pitch. They were quickly removed and Pete Carrington a former member of the blue squad said that if there were to have been an occupation of the pitch there would have been deaths. He said it was sheer luck that nobody died. Rugby supporters were throwing blocks of concrete and full cans of beer at the protesters. The large protest that was happening in the surrounding streets of the pitch was trying to be calmed by the rood squad. They no longer had short batons that they were smacking down on peoples heads, but they now had long ones that they were thrusting the demonstrators back with. The spectators were forced to stay in the ground once the match was over (the All Blacks winning 14-9) until the protesters had dispersed, not wanting a repeat of Hamilton.
The police wanted to ensure that the games were able to happen and do so peacefully so they set aside $2.7 million for Operation Rugby to ensure this happened. The real cost of the policing tour was much larger than expected, coming out at $15 million.
Not only was the Springbok tour putting peoples safety at risk but it was also costing New Zealand a lot of money.
The police wanted to ensure that the games were able to happen and do so peacefully so they set aside $2.7 million for Operation Rugby to ensure this happened. The real cost of the policing tour was much larger than expected, coming out at $15 million.
Not only was the Springbok tour putting peoples safety at risk but it was also costing New Zealand a lot of money.