'Is this the life for you?' poster

This poster was created during the Springbok rugby tour protests in 1981 by graphic designer Chris McBride (of Wellington Media Collective) as a personal response to police violence. The image of a policeman raising his baton to strike protestors was a frequently used image on protest posters.

This particular image was edited from a photograph taken by Frank Tyson at the final rugby test in Auckland on 12 September 1981.

Many New Zealanders objected to the tour because of South Africa's policy of racial apartheid. Confrontations between rugby supporters, anti-tour protesters and police in New Zealand grew increasingly violent as the tour progressed. Police were equipped with long batons, helmets, and riot shields, and were charged with ensuring that the games went ahead.