An aluminium police baton wielded by the leader of a New Zealand police riot squad during mass demonstrations against a South African rugby tour in 1981 has been sold at an auction for more than NZ$20 000 ($14 600), it was announced on Friday.
Ross Meurant, who led the so-called Red Squad specifically set up to keep order in the face of the biggest street protests ever seen in New Zealand, said the baton was bought by an agent on behalf of a South African.
The item was described as a weapon that ”became as infamous as the men and one woman of Red Squad who wielded the baton in a blaze of blood throughout the tour”.
The tour by the all white Springbok rugby players was bitterly opposed by New Zealanders of all ages, creeds and colours, not just anti-apartheid activists, and divided friends and families. Hundreds were arrested.
John Minto, a leader of the main protest group called Halt All Racist Tours (Hart), told the New Zealand Herald: ”To try and make money out of the situation back in ’81 is a bit tacky. I think most people would find that offensive.”
Meurant’s role gave him a high public profile and he later left the police and became a member of Parliament for the conservative National Party.
The baton sold for more than double the minimum starting bid set by Meurant. – Sapa-DPA