John Minto
John Minto is a New Zealand based political activist known for his involvement in various left-wing groups and causes, most notably Halt All Racist Tours. A 2005 documentary on New Zealands top 100 history makers listed him as number 89. Today he is involved with Global Peace and Justice Auckland and the Unite Union. He writes a weekly column for The Press[1] and is editor of the Workers' Charter newspaper.
Minto is also the chairmain [2] of QPEC, Quality Public Education Coalition (Inc)
Halt All Racist Tours
John Minto, along with Trevor Richards, Tom Newnham and others, was involved in forming Halt All Racist Tours, a group set up to protest rugby union tours to and from Apartheid South Africa, in 1969. He became the National Chairman of the organisation in 1980. During clashes between police and protesters he was seriously assaulted (by rugby supporters the evening after the disruption at Rugby Park in Hamilton). In 2005 a police baton owned by Ross Meurant, a former member of Parliament who was second in charge of the "Red Squad" during the 1981 Springbok Tour was put up for auction online labeled as a "Minto Bar" [3], a "joke" based on the co-incidence of names between John Minto and Minties, the brand name a popular mint-flavoured candy.
The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service (SIS) listed Minto in 1981 on a list of 'subversives' for the events of that year.[citation needed]
Companion of OR Tambo Award
During January 2008 Minto publicly "rejected" a nomination for the prestigious South African Companion of OR Tambo Award, saying he was dismayed over current conditions in the country[4]. However, the Presidency of South Africa later stated that Minto had not been nominated for any national award.[5]
Additional protest involving a sports event
In January 2009 Minto led a protest to the Auckland Tennis Stadium, where they requested that Israeli player Shahar Pe'er boycott the tournament and denounce the Israeli Government and its actions in the 2008-2009 Israel-Gaza conflict, her response at a press conference being "I think [the politics] is nothing to do with what I am doing." [6]
Maurice Williamson, a Member of Parliament, rebuffed the protesters at the event, stating that she was not representing Israel and was playing as a private individual, thus the protesters should "leave her alone." [7]
Pe'er served two years in the Israel Defense Forces in an 'office role.' According to her website she "realized the importance of carrying out this service and felt it was her duty as an Israeli citizen" to "contribute something back."[8] Military service is compulsory in Israel, though some people refuse to serve.
See also
References
- ^ JohnMinto.org.nz Archive of Minto's Press articles, in weblog format
- ^ Press release from QPEC
- ^ New Zealand Herald - Meurants Red Squad batton up for sale by Angela Gregory 06/06/05 (link)
- ^ Mail & Guardian - Anti-apartheid campaigner rejects SA award
- ^ Clarification of misconceptions on nomination for National Order
- ^ Activists ask Shahar Pe'er to withdraw from ASB Classic[1]
- ^ Anti-Israeli protest over Israeli tennis player at ASB Classic[2]
- ^ "Off-court". Shahar Pe'er official website.
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