1 - I took some time out over lunch to catch the final stage of the protest march against the anti-smacking bill. I hadn't had the pleasure of photographing a protest march before, so this was a new experience.
2 - There were two teams - the pro-smackers (400 odd) and the anti-smackers (30 or so). I tried to position myself along the fault line between the two opposing teams - but apart from one valiant sort who butted up against slogan yelling fanatics with such heroic lines as 'Now... listen to me... you've been misinformed...', there wasn't really any action.
3 - both sides seemed to want to claim the religious high ground.
4 - the 'Family First' foundation seemed to come in for some criticism
5 - plenty to say. No one was listening.
6 - pro-smacker engaging in polite conversation with anti-smackers
7 - it didn't really work... still, the paparazzi smelled action and swarmed around
8 - Lindsay Perigo in the limelight
9
10
11 - Christine Rankin making an art form out of argument ad hominem (or, more accurately argumentum ad personam)
12 - both sides paraded their kids around...
13 - ...most didn't seem to care (and probably should have been at school)
14 - Well, I report... you decide...
Some further reading: the New Zealand Herald's report, Stuff.co.nz's report, the protest organisers' webpage, the Repeal Section 59 webpage, and the Green Party's webpage on section 59.
