Muru is a 2022 New Zealand action-drama film very loosely based on the 2007 New Zealand police raids against the Ngāi Tūhoe community of Rūātoki. Written and directed by Tearepa Kahi, the film stars Cliff Curtis, Jay Ryan and Manu Bennett. The film was released as the opening night film of the New Zealand International Film Festival on 28 July 2022.
Muru (film)
2007 New Zealand police raids
The 2007 New Zealand police raids were a series of armed police raids conducted on 15 and 16 October 2007, in response to alleged paramilitary training camps in the Urewera mountain range near the town of Ruatoki. About 300 police, including members of the Armed Offenders Squad and Special Tactics Group, were involved in the raids, which involved the execution of search warrants at various addresses throughout New Zealand, and the establishment of roadblocks at Ruatoki and Tāneatua. The police seized four guns and 230 rounds of ammunition and arrested eighteen people. According to police, the raids were a culmination of more than a year of surveillance that uncovered and monitored the training camps.
Protesters against the raids in Aotea Square, Auckland city centre
Protesters dressed as terrorism detainees outside the Labour Party conference, 3 November 2007.