item details
Overview
This photograph shows a chaotic scene of smoke, protesters and police, with injured protesters being attended to by medical volunteers on the day of the last rugby test of the Springbok Tour on 12 September 1981 in Auckland.
The Springbok Rugby Tour of 1981 was a seminal event in New Zealand's political and social history - exposing deep rifts in society. Many New Zealanders objected to the tour because of South Africa's policy of racial apartheid, and many questioned racism at home. Protests caused obstruction and the cancellation of games, and violence escalated between protesters, supporters and police during the tour.