The First-Years Guide to Protest

Te Urukeiha Tuhua (he/they/ia, Tūhoe)

So, we’re at university—what now? 

By the time Trimester Two rolls around, many of us are already struggling: to pay rent, afford groceries (except for those of us in halls), or even load enough money onto our Snapper cards to get to class. There’s barely enough leftover for the real essentials (alcohol). That’s how expensive everything has become. 

Meanwhile, our government seems intent on making things harder. Youth benefits are being slashed. Climate protections are being gutted. Te Tiriti is constantly undermined. There’s more—far too much to list here. If you’ve read this far, you’re probably feeling just as angry as I am. 

Anger is a normal reaction to all of the shit happening at the moment; in fact, I’d be concerned if you weren’t feeling something. 

None of us should lie down and accept any of this. Change is possible, and it starts with all of us. The time is ripe for us to take collective action. 

If the idea of marching in the streets feels daunting, know that you’re not alone. Many people feel anxious about sticking out in a small crowd, or worry that the protest itself will be ineffective. But here’s the thing: we’re in the capital city. Protests here regularly attract hundreds, sometimes thousands of people. Parliament is literally right down the road. Even if change doesn’t happen overnight, protests signal—loud and clear—what we expect from those in power. It is imperative that we get comfortable with protesting, because this is how we make our voices heard. 

I’m not asking you to scream into David Seymour’s face with a megaphone (though it’d be fucking awesome if you did), and I’m not asking you to set anything on fire. Let’s start with small steps.

“But protest doesn’t do anything…” 

Yeah, I’ve heard this line and variations of it countless times. I’m gonna hold your hand when I say this: you are wrong, and you have a lot more power than you may think. 

It’s human to feel helpless. Many of us care deeply for many different issues. That emotional burden—that flame that pushes us to act, but also threatens to burn us out—is real. Sometimes it is easy to fall into despair.  

But you’ve gotta pick yourself up babe. Lean on your friends. Care for yourself and the people around you. Then figure out what you can do, instead of fixating on what you can’t. 

My whānau have a friend in Palestine, Abdullah Elshafei. He recently told me: 

“Continue what you are doing. Believe me with what you are doing, it will end soon and Netanyahu will sit in prison. The occupation believes that all this injustice and killing it is doing will go unpunished, but the punishment came and the whole world knew that he was an outcast and will look to end the genocide soon. Everything you do we see, hear, and love.”* 

Protesting works. It puts pressure on those in power and reminds them that they’re accountable. If they pass harmful legislation, they need to know they’ll face resistance—loud, visible, and unrelenting. Put the pressure on, and make sure they’re acting in ways that benefit all of us instead of just the wealthy few at the top. When we stand together united, we cannot be defeated.

Getting Yourself a Flag 

Flags are easy to find, and a number of online stores stock them. The Flag Shop NZ offers a range of tino rangatiratanga, Pride, and Palestine flags, many priced under $20 depending on the size you’re looking for. 

Tempted by Temu’s cheap prices? Don’t be. It’s worth spending a little more to shop ethically, especially when your flag can be flown at almost any protest, time and time again. 

Now that you’ve got a flag, you’ll need a solid flagpole to withstand the wind. Bamboo sticks work well, and you can buy them online or at Bunnings. But really, almost any stick will do. My mum sometimes uses her retractable hiking stick as a portable flagpole, and if you’re up for a bushwalk, you might even find a good branch. 

It’s easier than you’d think to attach your flag to the pole. I found a cheap packet of zip ties at Daiso on Manners Street, and that did the trick for me. 

Making Placards 

While flags are an excellent symbol of solidarity, placards are an effective way to make a specific statement that is directly related to the issue you’re protesting. They also help inform the public by clearly communicating the cause. 

The easiest way to make a placard is attending the sign-painting events hosted by VUWSA in the hub. Keep an eye on @vuwsagram; these events are usually advertised in the lead-up to major protests. It’s a great opportunity to connect with other people and to not show up empty-handed. 

Most halls have a ‘mess room’ that are stocked with paint, cardboard and other supplies. If you can’t make it to a sign-painting event, get creative and make your own placard using what’s available. 

Even if you don’t bring anything, he pai koe. There’s still a lot of power in showing up and making your presence known.

Practical Considerations 

It’s not a fashion show. Dress comfortably and practically—unless we’re protesting transphobic legislation, then by all means, dress up. We all know that us queer folk are the most fashionable people in all of Pōneke. But as a side, do make sure you have shoes that won’t give you blisters! 

Bring water and some panadol. It can get hot out there, and you don’t want your day to be ruined by a headache. Try and eat some kai beforehand for that extra energy. Sometimes there are time constraints when we race from a lecture to Parliament and then back again, so consider stocking your bag with snacks or even lollies for a quick sugar boost.

Is my MP listening to me? 

Being situated closely to Parliament means we often see politicians coming out and speaking to the public about the issues being raised. Pay close attention to what they say, and ask yourself: are they actually hearing and addressing the concerns of the people? Are they taking real steps to make change? Or are they side-stepping and trying to absolve themselves of responsibility? 

Continue pushing your MP to represent you and the issues you care about. Lobby them, send them emails! You don’t need to be incredibly professional or use lots of academic jargon to tell an MP that you want them to support or oppose a certain bill. When an MP receives hundreds of emails urging them to support a bill, they’ll feel pressured to back it, even if it goes against their own political values. 

And now that we’re finally 18—most of us, anyway—we can vote them out at the next election. Please enrol to vote! I seriously can’t handle another term with this fucking government.

How do I find protests to go to? 

Stay updated on different protests by following @vuwsagram; they regularly share info on protests to create a strong student voice. @falastin_tea_collective organises multiple actions each week for Palestine. For students, the easiest option would be the (almost) weekly Saturday protests at 1pm. The location can vary, so keep an eye on the Instagram page. 

Lots of activist groups and public figures on Instagram share events and protests to their stories regularly. When you see one, save the date to your calendar and reshare the post to help spread the word. The more of us that show up, the better.

Ka whawhai tonu tātou, ake ake ake! See you in the streets diva. 

*Abdullah and his daughters Swar and Musk have been living through genocide for almost two years. If you are able to support them, you can donate to 38-9007-0663465-22; account name ‘L JEHLE & S FERGUSON’. Every little bit helps, ngā mihi nui.