A-APLGY | the movement

On Thursday 20th October 1976, the NZ Government supported the launching of “Operation Pot Black” - an intensive campaign of raids and random street checks which racially profiled and targeted Pacific Islanders.

Statistics show that whilst Polynesians comprised only half of the “overstayers” compared to those from Europe and Australia, the deportations were predominantly those of Pacific Island descent. Because of the lack of information and ability to execute, the Police Task Force swiftly imposed detentions on those of the Pacific Island community who could not produce the required immigration documents on the spot.

Almost 50 years later since the first recorded campaign to deport Pacific Islanders began in 1972, there is finally an acknowledgement of these events from the New Zealand Government by way of an apology. But we believe that this isn’t an arrival or completion of actions toward rectifying the mistakes of the past. Instead, we see this as just the beginning.

The beginning of a movement.