ANZAC tribute and stupid protestor rant!

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them."

Again, myself and Phil attended the dawn service, along with thousands of others to celebrate and commemorate ANZAC day. It was a beautiful Wellington morning (although a little cloudy as you can see from my photos.) The service was amazing, as always and very emotional. There however was one part that just about ruined the morning. There were a small group of protestors calling for New Zealand troops to return home from overseas. It was highly inappropriate and offensive to say the very least. This group blew horns in the middle of speeches and burnt a NZ flag (two people were arrested)

What a display of ignorance! ANZAC day is not a promotion of war. Anzac day is to commemorate the loss of New Zealand and Australian lives in battle fields and to acknowledge the sacrifice these men and woman gave so we could be the country we are today. These protestors had no right to act in the way they did, they claim they were using their right of 'free speech' - this may be so but there is a time and a place. The dawn service is basically a mass funeral and (correct me if I'm wrong) you have to obey by certain rules while in attendance. It's just disrespectful and plain rude. Shame on you protestors! Plus this just displayed their ignorance, pure and simple. NZ troops are in
PEACEKEEPING missions overseas and are doing their best to help other countries such as East Timor, Solomon Islands and Afghanistan to provide humanitarian aid and support. What a shame ignorant people protest against that.