Protest as Urewera charges dropped

Protesters gathered outside the High Court at Auckland, calling for the remaining charges to be dropped in the Urewera raid case. Photo / APNZ

Charges against those facing firearms allegations resulting from the Urewera raids have been formally dropped.

The reasons behind the Supreme Court judgement which led the the Crown's dropping the charges today remain subject to a suppression order.

That suppression order will be revisited later this morning.

This morning's hearing in the High Court at Auckland got under way with a karakia and waiata before the Crown formally applied for the charges to be dropped.

There was loud clapping from the packed public gallery.

The Supreme Court last week that ruled certain evidence was inadmissible in the case of the so-called "Urewera 18'', who were arrested after police raids on alleged military training camps in the Ureweras in October 2007.

The Crown last week revealed 13 of the 17 defendants in Operation Eight would be discharged.

Four of the accused - Maori activist Tame Iti, Te Rangikaiwhira Kemara, Emily Bailey and Urs Signer - will still stand trial on charges of participating in an organised crime group.

A protest is being held outside court today demanding those charges be discharged immediately.