Meurant should give baton cash to charity, says MP

Ross Meurant and a 1981 picture of the Red Squad in action. Herald file pictures

Ross Meurant should give the money from selling his Springbok Tour police baton to a South African charity, says Green MP Rod Donald.

Mr Donald, who protested against the 1981 Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand, said a charitable donation would ensure that "the obscene sale helps the black people who were oppressed by the apartheid regime he defended".

Mr Meurant, who was second-in-command of the notorious Red Squad set up to control anti-tour protesters, today sold the baton which he imported personally, for $20,000 to a South African collector.

"I was appalled by Meurant's behaviour during the Tour and I'm even more appalled now that he is profiting from the violence he meted out to legitimate anti-apartheid protesters," said Mr Donald.

"The Police had a difficult job during the Tour because they were obliged to uphold the rule of law, but Meurant and his Red Squad acted like a pack of vigilantes who took the law into their own hands."

He said Mr Meurant's listing on auction website Trade Me, "Red Squad wielding the baton in a blaze of blood throughout the tour" - confirmed that he still takes pride in his behaviour.

Mr Meurant cancelled the auction when bidding reached $17,300 in order to accept a higher offer.