Sunday, October 16, 2011

Botanic Gardens Goes Orange & White

After months without any word of whether they'll be able to stay in their homes, around 150 residents of Christchurch's orange and white zoned suburbs, along with their supporters, gathered in the botanic gardens to voice their discontent. 
Orange zone resident Darla Hutt, whose frustration with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority's lack of communication sparked the protest, displays her earthquake zone colour-themed manicure.

Al Nisbet's orange zone cartoon from the Press was popular with the crowd.

State Insurance, the unofficial T.

Green Party representative John Kelcher addresses the gathering. 
While invitations were sent to local politicians of all parties, only Labour and the Greens responded. Although John's presence seemed to provoke a brief feral outburst from a pathologically anti-Green pair in the crowd, he ended his speech to warm applause.

The crowd makes way for the toast rack carrying visitors through the gardens. Despite the City Council's misgivings about the meeting being held in 'their' gardens, the feared rampage failed to eventuate.

While making it clear that she's politically non-partisan, protest organiser Darla Hutt acknowledges the support of Christchurch East MP Lianne Dalziel and Waimakariri MP Clayton Cosgrove.

The forces of law and order appear.

Having determined that this particular crowd rates pretty low on the police scale of meanness, they relax their vigilance.

After waiting until the meeting wound up for his chance to incite the crowd to open revolt, Mr Angry voices his displeasure at being denied the microphone.

On with the rebuild - a bag in the crowd.

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