Impressions of a March

Dawn 24 April 1990. Drizzle. Mid-morning. Gloom. Rain. Persisting. Increasing. Apprehension. Noon. Pigeon Park. Rain easing. Fiona. Should she speak? Yes. Brave address. Rain stops. People come. More people. Arrive. Crowds. Prams. Pensioners. Punks. Pinstripes. Pets. Police. Photographers. All ages. Types. Styles. Sizes. Diversity. Vivid. Unanimous. One belief. Willing hands. Unload. Three hundred banners. Seized in minutes. People with own banners. Fifty carry great cross banners. Marshalls without banners. Loud hailers. Over 400 souls. In unison. Assemble. Inspect march. Stretched Manners Street to Pigeon Park to... out of sight. Can't see end. Too far. Longest march in 10 years. Loud. Heralding throughout Capital.

"Politicians can't be trusted - Vivisection should be busted"

Confident. Determined. Strong. The public with us. Joining March along route. Knew us. Agreed with us. Parliament. Rain starts. Slowly. Persists. Heavy. Increases. Ignored. Assembly stood ground. Keen. Serious. Unfrivolous. No-nonsense. Unsmiling. Politicians react.

A TV crew said that this was the most impressive March they had seen enter Parliament Grounds. The media reported "almost two hundred people", and "an estimated two hundred people". Were they mischievous or boss-eyed? Newspapers sent reporters and cameras but little or nothing got published. I have been told many times that this was the most positive and forceful March to date. Reports of it, and deliberations on the reason for it have surfaced in numerous and extremely diverse publications, programmes, summaries and reviews around the country.

This march was an investment in the future of the new abolitionist movement. Nothing can ever take it away... it happened... and is on film... every glorious minute of it. But how to thank the hardworking and dedicated people who put it all together... and those who travelled long distances to support it? You were magnificent. Thank you.

(Bette Overell)

Our 1990 March to Parliament was different. The message was no longer vivisection must stop, but why hasn't our case been heard?..."politicians can't be trusted - vivisection should be busted" ... the marchers called, through the city streets and into Parliament grounds. Once there the calling resounded around the building until the message penetrated to the many politicians seen on the steps and at the windows of Parliament House. Through steady rain the marchers stood their ground reacting vocally to Bette Overell's address to Mr Terris, MP, who would deliver the message to the Prime Minister.

In his reply Mr Terris was forced to concede that NZAVS had been wrongly done-by. He was clearly shaken by the outbursts of anger and gave assurance that he, at least, was a politician who could be trusted. Yes, this year's militance made for a far different March.

(Maria and Dominic Hammond)