3 October 2024

Media release from John Minto

Yesterday Stuff told us they would not print this full-page advertisement which had been booked and paid to go in all Stuff newspapers next Tuesday.

At this stage Stuff has given no official reason for banning the add aside from saying they won’t do so “while the ongoing conflict is developing”

It seems that for Stuff, pro-Israel sympathies are more important that Palestinian realities.

It’s worth pointing out that Stuff has, over many years, printed full page advertisements from a Christian Zionist, Paster Nigel Woodley, from Hastings. Woodley’s advertisements have been full of the most egregious, fanciful, misinformation and anti-Palestinian racism.

Our advertisement on the other hand is 100% factual and speaks truth to power – demanding our government hold Israel to account for its war crimes and 76-years of brutal military occupation of Palestine.

We’d like the public to judge our advertisement – it is pasted below.

John Minto

National Chair

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

0220850161

johnminto

40 events in 29 centres across the country this weekend will mark the 12-month anniversary of Israel’s genocide of Palestinians in Gaza

Protests across the country this weekend will mark the 12-month anniversary of Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

“We are incredibly proud of New Zealanders who have come out week after week for 12 months to stand with Palestine” says PSNA National Chair John Minto. “As far as we are aware this long-term pattern of solidarity has no precedent in New Zealand’s past”

“The protests have shown the absolute best of kiwi humanity”

“Meanwhile the Luxon government has been shameful and cowardly” says Minto. “It is blindly following the US lead and condemning every act of Palestinian resistance while refusing to utter a single word of condemnation of the rogue state of Israel which has been actively inciting a wider war in the Middle East.”

Israel is dangerous. It is out of control and armed to the teeth by western countries – almost certainly including New Zealand through Auckland’s Rakon Limited.

We are aware of threats by the pro-Israel fringe to disrupt Palestine solidarity action this weekend but we will not be deterred. We have written to the police in the expectation they will deal with anyone making threats against the movement which has a 12-month record of peaceful protest and relentless solidarity with Palestine.

We will be exercising out rights to protest under the Bill of Rights Act and expect the police to take appropriate action to protect those rights.

The demands from the marchers will be for accountability for Israel in line with international law and the rulings of the International Court of Justice which just this year has ruled Israel must

• stop any acts of genocide
• withdraw its troops from Gaza
• end its unlawful occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories

The 40 events across the motu for this week are on the PSNA Facebook events page here with the basic details given below.

John Minto

National Chair

Palestine Solidarity Network Aotearoa

0220850161

johnminto

North Island

Opononi – Rally for Palestine

Sunday 6 October

1:30 pm

Outside the Four Square, Opononi

Kerikeri – Rally

Saturday 5 October

9am-11am

Kerikeri roundabout, State Highway 10

Kerikeri – Israelism Film Screening

Sunday 6 October

3pm

Cornerstone Church, 144 Kerikeri Road

Whangarei – Vigil

Monday 7 October

7pm

Whangarei Town Basin

Waiheke – Market Stall – hosted by Stand With Palestine Waiheke!

Every Saturday

8:00 am – 1:00 pm

Ostend Market, Waiheke Island

Auckland – Obela Picket

Friday 4 October

12:00 pm

Outside Woolworths Supermarket, Victoria St West

Auckland – Banners around Tamaki Makaurau

Saturday 5 October

9 am – 12 Noon

Bond Street overbridge

Auckland – Rally at Britomart

Saturday 5 October

2:00 pm

Te Komititanga – Britomart Square

Auckland – Vigil

Monday 7 October

4-6pm

Outside TVNZ, Corner Hobson Street and Victoria Street West

Thames – Vigil

Saturday 5 October

10am

Thames Market, 700 Pollen Street

Tauranga – Flag waving

No flag waving this weekend

Tauranga – Candlelight Vigil

Monday 7 October

6:30pm (Mural painting from 5:30pm, weather permitting)

Beach by Moturiki/Leasure Island

Hamilton – Rally

No rally this weekend

Hamilton – 12km Walk for Palestine and T-shirt Painting

Saturday 5 October

11am

Claudelands Park (corner of Heaphy Tce & Boundary Rd)

Whāingaroa/Raglan – Cultural Day – Film Screening, Food, and more

Sunday 6 October

10:00am

Raglan Old School Art Centre

Cambridge – Rally for Palestine

Every Saturday

11:00 am

Cambridge Town Hall

Gisborne – Farmers Market – Vigil to Stop the war on Children

Every Saturday

9:30 – 11:30 am

Gisborne Farmers Market

Rotorua – Rally for Palestine

Every Thursday

4:00 pm

Rotorua Lakes Council, Haupapa Street (Sir Howard Morrison Corner)

Napier – Rally for Palestine

Saturday 5 October

11:30 am

Marine Parade Soundshell Roundabout

Hastings – Rally for Palestine

No rally this weekend

Palmerston North – Rally for Palestine

Sunday 6 October

2:00 pm

The Square, Palmerston North

New Plymouth – Flags on the Bridge

Friday 4 October

4:30 pm

Paynters Ave Bridge

New Plymouth – March for Gaza

Saturday 5 October

1:00 pm

The Landing, 1 Ariki Street, New Plymouth

Whanganui – Rally for Palestine

Saturday 5 October

11:00 am

Riverside Market, Whanganui

Carterton – Gathering for Gaza

Every Tuesday

12:00 midday

Memorial Square.

Martinborough – Vigil for Palestine

Every Wednesday

11:00 am

Memorial Square at the top of Kitchener St, Martinborough

Masterton – Gathering for Gaza

Every Sunday

9:30 am

Town Hall Lawn

Wellington – Vigil for Palestine (by Aotearoa Healthcare Workers for Palestine)

Every Friday

6:00 pm

In front of Wellington Hospital

49 Riddiford Street, Newtown, Wellington

Wellington – Flags on the Bridge

(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)

Every Friday

7:15 – 8:15 am

Hill Street bridge Overbridge, Wellington

Wellington – Obela boycott protest and hīkoi

(hosted by the Falastin Tea Collective)

Saturday 5 October

1:00pm

Waitangi Park

Wellington – Rally and March

Sunday 6th October

12pm

Pukeahu War Memorial marching to Odlins Plaza

(Organised by Justice for Palestine and Alternative Jewish Voices)

South Island

Nelson – Rally for Palestine

Saturday 5 October

11 am

1903 Square

Blenheim – Rally for Palestine

Saturday 5 October

11:00 am

Blenheim Railway Station

Christchurch – Flag waving

Wednesday 2 October

4-5:30 pm

Sumner, cnr Beachville Road and Main Road

Christchurch – Flag waving

Friday 4 October

4-6 pm

Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch

Christchurch – Rally for Palestine

Saturday 5 October

1:00 pm

Bridge of Remembrance, Cashel Street, Christchurch

Timaru

No Rally this weekend

Greymouth – Rally for Palestine

Sunday 6 October

5pm

Greymouth Town Square

Dunedin – Vigil for Palestine

Sunday 6 October

6pm

The Octagon

Queenstown
No Rally this weekend

Invercargill – Rally for Palestine

Sunday 6 October

1:00 pm

Wachner place Invercargill

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