Operation Springbok

Peter McGregor, an anti-apartheid activist from the 1970s, reviews the film Political Football directed by James Middleton and shown on ABC TV, 17 November. Seven members of the Australian Rugby Union team, the Wallabies, made a stand against apartheid in 1970, which precipitated an active Australian anti-apartheid movement resulting in disruptive protests during the 1971 Springbok Tour of Australia and New Zealand. The activism of people such as expatriate South African, John Brink (1920 - 1997), lead indirectly to the dismantling of apartheid in South Africa 20 years later, and to increased prominence and support for the Australian aboriginal black power movement.

Under the Howard Government's "anti-terror" laws "the Australian Anti-Apartheid Movement would have constituted a terrorist organisation, on account of its open support for the African National Congress, which was waging an armed struggle against the apartheid government of South Africa", according to a submission to a Senate Inquiry by the Castan Centre for Human Rights Law (PDF).

The Rugby World Cup as Hypersport
ABC: New Dimensions: Springbok Rugby Tour 1971 | Video sales: Political Football

FROM Melbourne Indymedia. This was a powerful demo. I was there and will never forget it. The only thing wrong with this program I could see was that it excluded some important detail such as fire crackers being used to knock out at least one cop. Also the mighty KIWI resistance to racism and fascism was passed over...unless that is a seperate program such as it is worthy of in its own right. Go to Melb.IMC for links.