An unusual theft at Auckland University has student leaders claiming attempted censorship.
Around 800 copies of the student magazine Craccum were stolen and it's thought those responsible had taken offence at one of the advertisements.
Thieves targeted Craccum bins at around mid-morning, when most students are barely awake, let alone involved in well organised dissent.
Security video recorded the young men stacking the magazines and hastily loading them onto a getaway car.
Daniel Sloan, the Craccum editor, says he has never seen thieves this organised before.
The thieves say they stole the copies because of an advertisement in the magazine promoting people to buy tickets for a dance group that has links to the Falun Gong, the spiritual movement that is outlawed by China's government.
They say they had asked Craccum to withdraw the advert because they believed it was too political.
"We don't want to see these advertisements...it does not represent the Chinese people (the dance group) at all," said Jim Sun, on of the advertisement's opponent's.
But David Do, the AUSA President, says students are better served by robust debate on these issues, and not amateur attempts at censorship.
It is not the first time the dance group has struck opposition in New Zealand.
Mayors were pressured not to attend a concert last year and only
a legal challenge allowed a Falun Gong group to join 2007's Santa
Parade in Wellington.
In a bizarre twist, tickets to the dance group went on sale at the
Auckland University campus on Tuesday.
"It's something we should be proud of as Chinese, you know proud instead of trying to hide these things from other people," says Hong Hang, a supporter of the dance group.
Those hiding the magazines say they will be returned, albeit without the ads.
The Student Union wants to meet the thieves before deciding what punishment they should receive.
