Fran
Maker
Kees Sprengers
Production date
13 Sep 1981
Description
In 1981 a controversial South African rugby tour brought the ‘Springboks’ to Aotearoa New Zealand, and the voice of anti-Apartheid to our streets. This photograph shows Fran Bevan (Mikaere) (Ngaati Puukenga) with stitches in her nose. Fran had been active in the Hamilton anti-Tour demonstrations and travelled to Auckland in support of the anti-Tour movement. By the time the Springbok Tour reached Auckland, police were much more aggressive in their approach to halting the demonstrations. Fran found herself surrounded by police, who broke her nose when they hit her in the face with a baton.
Museum photographer Kees Sprengers has said of this image: "On September 12 1981 she was cornered by Red Squad and systematically beaten. Baton went through visor of her crash helmet and broke her nose. Incident also photographed by John Mercer of Hamilton and portrayed in Batons and Barbed Wire... This photo was taken the next day for record purposes."
orig. 35mm neg held by artist. Print by artist.
Ilford XP - 1, C41
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