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Rugby Park occupation

Rugby Park occupation

Long-standing prejudices between city and country resurfaced during the 1981 South African Springbok rugby team's tour. Support for the tour was strongest in country areas and weakest in cities. On 27 July anti-tour supporters ran onto Hamilton’s Rugby Park before kick-off and occupied the field’s centre, causing the cancellation of the game. The expectant crowd erupted and police had to shield the protesters from furious spectators. Here the Reverend George Armstrong addresses police during the occupation.

About this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1981/2598/28A
Photograph by Phil Reid

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

How to cite this page:

Ben Schrader. 'City images', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 28-Sep-11
URL: http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/city-images/2/3