List of protests in New Zealand

Summary

This is a list of protests in New Zealand.[1]

Protests relating to the Treaty of Waitangi edit

The Treaty of Waitangi was between the Māori and the British Crown and was first signed in 1840.

Year Day Name People Location Notes Image
1844–1845 Hōne Heke's protests[2] 1 Russell Protest against the British Crown by repeatedly chopping down flag pole. Eventually leading to the New Zealand Wars.
 
1845–1872 The New Zealand Wars North Island A series of conflicts between the British crown, its allies and various Maori tribes.
 
1881 5 November (invasion of government troops) Parihaka pacifist settlement Taranaki Pacifist settlement invaded by government troops and many prisoners taken without trial.
 
1898 Dog Tax War[3] Northland Threat of armed civil disobedience over disproportionate taxation.
1975 13 October Māori Land March 5000 Auckland March from Northland to Wellington to increase public awareness.[4]
 
1977–1978 ended 25 May Bastion Point protest[5] (Ngāti Whātua land claim) Auckland Police and army personnel removed 222 people
 
1984 Kia Ora Incident 1 Fired after insistence on using the greeting Kia Ora.
2004 Foreshore and seabed Hikoi Nationwide Protest over the seabed and foreshore being declared public land.
 
2004 Tim Selwyn axe protest[6] 1 Auckland Charged with sedition
2006 6 February Waitangi protest[7] Northland
 
2007 15 October New Zealand police raids Ruatoki and throughout the country Several people charged as terrorists, but not found guilty for that offence. Extensive protest over the police handling of the investigation.
2014 New Zealand war memorial day petition[8] 12,000[9] Nationwide Petition to raise awareness of the New Zealand wars by creating a memorial day
2023 5 December 2023 Government policy protest North Island A Te Pāti Māori organised protest regarding the National-led government policy changes.

Environmental protests edit

Year Day Name People Location Notes Image
1959–1972 Save Manapouri campaign[10] 264,907 signed (1970) Southland, nationwide Largely successful in reducing the effect on the lake
 
1960's-1980's Nuclear-free protests[11] Nationwide
2001 September Anti genetic engineering 10,000 Auckland resulting in a moratorium
2004–2007 Save Happy Valley Coalition West Coast Anti coal mine protests
 
2004–2007 Marsden B protest Northland
2010 2 May Opposing mining on conservation land 40,000 Auckland One arrest made
 

Protests against employers edit

This list contains notable protests against employers ether for the disruption caused or their results on society and working conditions. It also includes protests against the government when it is in the role of an employer. As in a ten-year period from 2005–2015 there were an average of 25 strikes a years this list does not seek to cover every such protest.,[12]

Year Day Name People Location Notes Image
1890 Ended 10 November Maritime strike[13] Ports around the country and Australia First nationwide strike
1908 Blackball strike[14] West Coast
1913–1914 The Great Strike[15] 14,000-16,000 on strike Started in Huntly coal mines and Wellington port Unionists against employers
 
1943 25 February Featherston prisoner of war protest and massacre 240 (49 killed, 70 wounded) Wellington Japanese prisoners of war refused to work and may have rioted.[16]
1951 13 February to 15 July Waterfront dispute[17] Nationwide
 
1978 Mangere Bridge dispute[18] Auckland
1979 General strike[18] 300,000 (max) Nationwide
2006 supermarket workers’ dispute[19] Nationwide
2008 Junior doctors’ strike[19] Nationwide

Protests for or against social change edit

Year Day Name People Location Notes Image
1879 Orange ‘riot’[20] Timaru and Christchurch Sectarian unrest
1893 Women's suffrage petition[21] 32,000 signatures Women's suffrage followed late that year
 
1908 November No License Campaign Dunedin
1916 November Blackball miners went on strike to oppose military conscription.[22]
1917 October Paddy Webb 1 West Coast Webb, a Member of Parliament, opposed conscription and when called up refused military service. He was court-martialled and sentenced to two years' hard labour and his seat was declared vacant.[22]
1943 3 April Battle of Manners Street[23] 1000 (total) Wellington Some of the American servicemen from the American South in the Services Club objected to the presence of Māori soldiers.
1971 Anti-Vietnam War protest[24] 35,000 Nationwide
1977 May An abortion-rights march[25] Wellington
1981 Springbok tour Nationwide
 
1985 Coalition of Concerned Citizens[26][27] 800,000 signatures (claimed) Opposition to the Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986
2003 February Anti Iraq War[28] 10,000 Auckland and Wellington
2004 August Enough is Enough march[29] 10,000 Wellington Brian Tamaki led this protest upholding family values, and opposing the government's proposed Civil Union Bill devaluing the traditional institution of marriage
2005 Black caps tour of Zimbabwe[30]
2008 April Ploughshares Aotearoa[31] 3 Waihopai Station
2009 New Zealand Internet Blackout
2011 SlutWalk[32] Auckland and Wellington
2011 Occupy movement Major centres Protests in the wake of the 2008 economic crises.
 
2012 Against gay marriage[33] 250
2018 26 July Abortion availability[34] Wellington
2022 Sunday, 6 February Thousands protest against the vaccine mandates at the parliament grounds in Wellington and Picton Wellington

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Protests & demonstrations – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  2. ^ McCormick, Arthur David. "Hōne Heke's protest". teara.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  3. ^ "Dog Tax War narrowly averted | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  4. ^ Heinegg, Christian. "Maori land march, 1975". teara.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Bastion Point protesters evicted | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  6. ^ Cheng, Derek (8 June 2006). "Sedition verdict 'harms free speech'". NZ Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  7. ^ "A brief history of Waitangi Day". 5 February 2016. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
  8. ^ O’Malley, Vincent; Kidman, Joanna (2017). "Settler colonial history, commemoration and white backlash: remembering the New Zealand Wars". Settler Colonial Studies. 8 (3): 298–313. doi:10.1080/2201473X.2017.1279831. ISSN 2201-473X. S2CID 159595606.
  9. ^ "Petition of Waimarama Anderson and Leah Bell – New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  10. ^ "Manapōuri petition". teara.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  11. ^ "Nuclear-free New Zealand – Nuclear-free New Zealand | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  12. ^ "New Zealand has a long history of going on strike. Now, it's a complex issue". Stuff. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  13. ^ "1890 maritime strike, Auckland wharves". teara.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  14. ^ "4. – Strikes and labour disputes – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". teara.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  15. ^ "The 1913 Great Strike - The 1913 Great Strike | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  16. ^ "49 killed in Featherston POW incident | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  17. ^ "War on the wharves – 1951 waterfront dispute". New Zealand History Online. Retrieved 30 October 2009. The Waterside Workers' Union protested by refusing to work overtime from 13 February. The shipping companies in turn refused to hire them unless they agreed to work extra hours. When no agreement could be reached, union members were locked out.
  18. ^ a b "8. – Strikes and labour disputes – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". teara.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  19. ^ a b "9. – Strikes and labour disputes – Te Ara Encyclopedia of New Zealand". teara.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  20. ^ "The Timaru Orange Riots, 1879". An encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. 1966. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  21. ^ "Brief history – Women and the vote | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  22. ^ a b "Paddy Webb's resistance to conscription | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  23. ^ "The battle of Manners St". Stuff. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  24. ^ "Anti-Vietnam War protests in Auckland | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  25. ^ "Contraception, Sterilisation and Abortion Act 1977 passed | NZHistory, New Zealand history online". nzhistory.govt.nz. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  26. ^ "Petition against law reform". Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  27. ^ Dudding, Adam (30 June 2016). "Thirty years on from NZ's tumultuous gay law reform bill". Stuff. Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  28. ^ "Thousands March in Auckland Against USA War | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. 15 February 2003. Retrieved 13 December 2018.
  29. ^ "Five thousand protest against Civil Unions Bill". New Zealand Herald. 23 August 2004. Retrieved 21 December 2021.
  30. ^ "Zimbabwe protest armbands 'would cost cricketers'". NZ Herald. 15 July 2005. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  31. ^ "Ploughshares Aotearoa". Ploughshares.org.nz.
  32. ^ Trathen, Robert. "SlutWalk". teara.govt.nz. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu Taonga. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  33. ^ "MPs attend protest against gay marriage". NZ Herald. 27 October 2012. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 December 2018.
  34. ^ "Abortion rally draws hundreds to Parliament". NZ Herald. 4 December 2018. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 12 December 2018.