KEY POINTS:
Activist Tame Iti's lawyer Annette Sykes said police raids were "overkill" and likened them to "the invasions last century".
"What is concerning, is the speculation that seems to occur that you can detain people for charges that may, or may not be brought under a piece of legislation that may, or may not be invoked and that you should be held in custody while the police do their homework," she told Radio NZ.
"That's hardly a recipe to give confidence to our people that human rights freedoms that we've all fought for are being looked after carefully in this situation," Ms Sykes said.
In 1916 two Maori were shot and killed by 70 police attempting to arrest the Tuhoe leader Rua Kenana at Maungapohatu. Rua's messianic cult promised the return of Maori lands and mana and the removal of Tuhoe people totally from European influence.
During World War I, Rua was harassed by the police for opposing conscription of Maori, and after he said the Germans would win, he and 31 others were arrested for sedition
A jury found Rua not guilty of sedition and only "morally" guilty of resisting arrest, and he served nine months in Mt Eden Prison.
Now police have claimed to have video of military-style training with live ammunition in camps deep in the Urewera Ranges, involving campaigners from a range of Maori sovereignty, environmental and peace groups.
These diverse groups were last lumped together in the media in June 1997, when the Urewera Triptych mural - said to be a symbol of Tuhoe grievances against the Government - was stolen.
The painting by Colin McCahon, with a reported value of $2 million, was stolen from a Department of Conservation visitor center at Lake Waikaremoana.
When two activists were charged with theft, Iti helped arts patron Jenny Gibbs negotiate for the return of the mural.
More recently, Iti had a victory in the Court of Appeal when his conviction for unlawfully possessing a firearm was overturned.
The case was over Iti firing a shotgun during a welcome for the arrival of the Waitangi Tribunal at a marae at Ruatoki, in January 2005. One shot shredded a New Zealand flag and Iti was found guilty under the ArmsAct on two counts of possessing a firearm ina public place except for some lawfulpurpose.
But the Court of Appeal found the prosecution had failed to prove Iti was in possession of the firearm without lawful purpose, saying there was insufficient evidence of harm, necessary to prove the charge.
- NZPA
- Additional reporting Simon O'Rourke
