Now I'm not so sure this was a wise action as it may possibly jeopardise the fairness of the approaching trials of those involved. However, what is done is done. At least by taking this action TV3 and the Dom Post have inadvertently (or maybe deliberately) proven something about this case - that we do not live in a true police state.
Why do I say this? Because in a true police state, the suppression of this information would have been vital - the Police would have stopped the presses, people would have been arrested (and possible tortured) to find out who leaked this information.
What are the NZ police doing? Investigating. There may be legal action taken against TV3 and Fairfax Media - but it will likely amount to a telling off and a serious fine that either company can probably afford to take on the chin in return for great press and sales.
I also agree with the reasoning offered by the Editor of the Dom Post when he says:
The Police have been accused of over-reacting, and of being racist. Supporters
of those accused have argued there is nothing to justify the operation the
police mounted, that notions of domestic terrorism are as insubstantial as the
Urewera mist, and those arrested are the victims of some sort of vendetta. They
argue that those the police arrested are blameless. Their claims have not been
tested in any meaningful way till now
The bold is my own. While I figure that these were a bunch of wannabe yahoos playing at building a militia - it does sound from the evidence revealed that police did act accordingly. Some very disturbing conversations have been revealed, and they happened over a long enough time to need to be taken seriously. This wasn't a bunch of guys playing a game with the police or clowning around on the phone.
These sound like angry guys who were saying things with a degree of conviction. I do feel that they probably would have wimped out when push came to shove - but on the face of the evidence, there is no way of knowing. Police had probable cause, and good reason to act. I've seen armed offenders get called out for [i]less[/i] without any complaint from anyone. It also adds a chilling aspect to the organised protests for me - that certain people hoped to take advantage of the raids to still stir up the same kind of division of people.
I do worry that after the publication of this information, the trial may now turn against the accused simply through public opinion. But, in a way, it needed to come out. Now let's see what happens to those who challenged the suppression orders - that will reveal much more about how in danger our civil liberties are...
Conan
Currently Reading:
Currently Playing: Exalted: Nexus of the Sun
Mood: Concerned, and also relieved that some of this information is out in the open.
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