Football Club, Onehunga-Mangere United, intend to make a statement at their match today by wearing shirts showing their support for the campaign to stop the controversial SHA62 development at Ihumātao.
The development would see 480 high-cost houses built on confiscated Māori land next to the Otuataua Stonefields.
SOUL spokesperson Roger Gummer says, “It's great to see the community get behind the campaign through positive activities such as sports. I commend the Onehunga-Mangere United team for showing their support in the best way they can - on the field."
Onehunga-Mangere United is competing in the Lotto Sport Italia NRFL Division 2 for the 2017 season, playing a home game at the Mangere Mountain Domain today, 25 April at 3pm.
On the afternoon of the Anzac commemoration the team will take on Waiheke United and wear 'Protect Ihumātao' T-shirts during the pre-match warm up and the after function following the game.
The aim is to show solidarity with SOUL, the mana whenua-led Mangere community group that has been battling Fletcher Residential to block the SHA62 development that will result in the desecration of historically significant land at Ihumātao which is known as a wāhi tūpuna.