Thousands Outraged At TVNZ's Pro-US Bias
by Selwyn Manning
Scoop Media, New Zealand
Saturday, 12 April 2003, 6:13 pm
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0304/S00122.htm
Thousands Express Outrage At State
Broadcaster Bias
Several thousand people took to the
streets of Auckland today as part of an International Day Of
Action called to protest against the invasion and occupation
of Iraq by USA-UK-Australian soldiers.
Outrage was hurled
at the USA-fed war coverage, and pro-US bias, emanating from
New Zealand’s state broadcaster TVNZ.
The protest action
snaked its way through inner Auckland streets, flanked by a
large Police contingent determined to guard Mobil Oil,
Television New Zealand, and the “Consulates of the Coalition
Of Killers’ – namely the United States, United Kingdom and
Australian consulates in Auckland.
The protest was often
led with shouts of anti-Bush chants from a strong Iraqi
presence. The protest included people of all ages, races and
religions united in their opposition to the killing of
innocents resulting from USA President George W Bush’s
decision to launch an unsanctioned war against
Iraq.
Thousands shouted shame and disgrace at Television
New Zealand. Protest organizers from Global Peace and
Justice Auckland crossed a Police cordon to deliver a letter
of disgust to TVNZ demanding that it cease broadcasting its
one sided US-bent version of this war and that it endeavor
to seek a real and honest account of atrocities being dealt
to Iraqi innocents by coalition troops.
John Minto of
Global Peace and Justice Auckland [GPJA] said: “We have been
increasingly angered at TVNZ coverage of the US invasion of
Iraq. We are quite used to TVNZ - along with much of the
world's media - displaying a "US centric" view of the world
in its coverage of international affairs.
“However
since the invasion began the coverage has slipped from
merely poor quality, unbalanced reporting to the spreading
of unashamed, blatant "pro-war" propaganda on behalf of the
US. We are deeply disgusted at the extent to which TVNZ
has - through its news service - become a mouthpiece and
visual portal for an unrelenting stream of bald US/UK
propaganda and blatant lies,” John Minto said.
Shortly
after, one man from within a black ‘Remuera Tractor’ [SUV]
hurled abuse at protesters while he waited in halted traffic
as the protest marched onward.
Later, New Zealand’s
busiest retail and commerce district ground to a halt as the
protest made its way to Queen Street where shouts of shame
created a thunderous echo about the lanes and allies.
A
heavy police guard lined Queen Street fronting the British
Consulate, Quay Street’s Australian Consulate and Customs
Street’s United States Consulate buildings.
Shoppers
curiously watched on, and shopkeepers peered from balconies
and doorways.
The United States flag [The Shroud of Shame]
was burnt outside the US Consulate while the New Zealand
Police passively looked on.
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See
Also... Scoop Photo-Essay Reportage - Thousands of people took to the streets
of Auckland, and hundreds more in Wellington, Dunedin and other centres today
as part of an International Day Of Action…
- Photo-Essay 1: NZ Marches Against US War Machine
- Photo-Essay 2: NZ Marches Against US War Machine
- Photo-Essay 3: NZ Marches Against US War Machine
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