Story: History

Anti-apartheid protesters, Palmerston North

Anti-apartheid protesters, Palmerston North

Anti-apartheid protesters turn away from police in Palmerston North, August 1981. Partly as a result of Māori migration into towns and cities, race relations began to loom large in New Zealand life in the second half of the 20th century. Sporting relations with apartheid South Africa became a touchstone of racial attitudes. In 1981, the Muldoon government allowed a tour by South Africa’s Springbok rugby team to go ahead, despite protests over sporting relations with a country ruled by a racist government. Widespread civil unrest erupted.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, Dominion Post Collection (PAColl-7327)
Reference: EP/1981/2657/9
Photograph by Don Scott

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.

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How to cite this page:

John Wilson, 'History - The later 20th century', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/1483/anti-apartheid-protesters-palmerston-north (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by John Wilson, updated 1 Apr 2020