Operation Everest poster

This poster commemorates when protesters successfully invaded the pitch at Rugby Park in Hamilton on 25 July 1981. The Springbok rugby team were about to play the Waikato team. As a result of the protesters occupying the field, the game was cancelled.

Operation Everest

‘Operation Everest’ was organised by Halt All Racist Tours (HART) and other groups in the anti-tour movement. Its aim was to stop the 1981 Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand, and, in particular, the game in Hamilton.

Artists Against Apartheid

Artists Against Apartheid was established in reaction to the violent clashes during the 1981 Springbok rugby tour. Artist Peter Lange had a shop called The Potters Arms near Eden Park in Auckland, where artists met informally and to plan strategies. Many of these artists had suffered in clashes with tour supporters and police, and were keen to avoid more conflict. So they set up their own organisation that relied on less confrontational, more creative protest methods, such as poster design and production. Artists Against Apartheid organised street parades, concerts, street theatre, and fund-raising, drawing together artists from all disciplines – music, visual arts, writing, and theatre.