An estimated 500 people gathered in Queen Street Auckland, to show solidarity with the Egyptian people in revolt against the Egyptian dictatorship.
Yesterday’s march was part of international solidarity actions.
Though the majority of the marchers at the Auckland protest were mostly Egyptian expatriates, there was a visible presence from the Green Party and the Unite Union.
The importance of this march and the many others like it, around the world, was to make it clear to the Mubarak regime that any slaughter or attack on the Egyptian people by the regime would be met with world wide outrage, and possible solidarity actions and calling for sanctions against the regime.
The other message from the marchers given in their signs and chants and speeches was that John Key’s support for Mubarak was a disgrace and an international embarrassment.
One Egyptian speaker told the crowd, “I am not going to tell you who to vote for, but no one should vote for someone who supports tyranny and corruption.”
Keith Locke addressed the marchers. Keith Locke said he was speaking for the Green Party as an official representative of the Green Party and the Green Party caucus. “The Green Party totally support the struggle for democracy in Egypt” he said.
He said that the Green Party would be asking hard questions of the National Government over their support for for the Mubarak regime at the first day of parliament on Tuesday.
Veteran activist and trade union leader Mike Treen spoke for GPJA, comparing the struggle of the Egyptian people to the struggle against apartheid in South Africa which all New Zealanders should support, he said. Treen as well as criticising Key also questioned Murray McCully for saying Mubarak should be the one who should be bringing stability to Egypt.
The following is a link to a photo montage of the Auckland march on the Kia Ora Gaza website.
Can anyone give a report of the Wellington march?
– Jenny
[apologies for not running the guest post advertising the marches beforehand, I meant to put it up but flaked on it. Volunteer-blogging: sometimes you get what you pay for 🙂 , Eddie ]
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