Australia Is Done With Off-Shore Detention And Today’s Protests Prove It

By

Published

March 20, 2016

Attention to all the fine men and women in Canberra’s halls of power: the backlash against Australia’s continually piss-poor treatment of refugees isn’t going away any time soon, as demonstrated by the thousands of fine men and women who took to Melbourne’s streets this afternoon.

The Walk for Justice for Refugees’ Victorian leg found scores of protesters, once again, railing against the Federal Government’s crippling asylum seeker legislation. Gathering at the State Library, regular pissed-off citizens were joined by politicians, religious leaders, and musos.

All of them gathered to call for 267 asylum seekers, currently situated on Nauru and Manus Island, to be placed in Australia. Following that, they want a total closure of the centres, lest this shit happen again.

Thousands gathered in Melbourne to welcome refugees #Justice4Refugees pic.twitter.com/EPUmUoxVGd

— Sarah Hanson-Young (@sarahinthesen8) March 20, 2016

#Queer bloc at #PalmSunday rally in #Melbourne – amazing turn-out to say #noprideindetention #LetThemStay #auspol pic.twitter.com/iHqFEhtSwJ

— Melissa Newby (@Mel_Newby) March 20, 2016

1000s o committed Australians here at #Justice4Refugees rally in Melbourne. We’ll keep marching as long as needed. pic.twitter.com/pmH1Zc6Wgl

— Jodi Magi (@Jodi_Magi) March 20, 2016

#justice4refugees Palm Sunday Rally in Melbourne. pic.twitter.com/yYYc1GBhds

— Geoff Thompson (@gtsystheol) March 20, 2016

The fact so many disparate groups united to protest on Palm Sunday is poignant; according to the Christian theology, it commemorates a day where a lowly traveler, whose huge journey was undertaken on a donkey, was welcomed as a king into a centre of massive power.

It doesn’t take a huge analogical leap to realise the protests’ timing ascribes the same endlessly-persecuted nature of Jesus himself on those locked up in off-shore detention.

While the Federal Government, from Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull through to Immigration Minister Peter Dutton, have repeatedly reaffirmed their commitment to off-shore detention, both Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young and the Human Rights Law Centre’s Daniel Webb spoke to the masses and damned the current system.

Our @DanielHRLC and the massive #PalmSunday crowds calling on @TurnbullMalcolm #LetThemStay and #BringThemHere pic.twitter.com/bjioggKRNg

— Amy Frew (@AmyHRLC) March 20, 2016

If today’s protests are anything to go by, the sentiment against off-shore detention night not even stable. It looks like it’s intensifying.

We found ourselves marching through the streets of Melbourne today, showing support for the refugees who are being sent to offshore camps because they ‘haven’t been invited’. Incredible scenes. #justice4refugees #humanrights #letthemstay #melbourne #gopro

A photo posted by Fergal McAleer (@fergalmcaleer) on Mar 20, 2016 at 12:00am PDT

awesome turnout! #freetherefugees #justice4refugees #letthemstay

A photo posted by ross parker (@rossgoin_on) on Mar 19, 2016 at 11:57pm PDT

Today #letthemstay

A photo posted by Danica Gilbert (@altruistic__) on Mar 19, 2016 at 11:19pm PDT

Source: Sky News.
Photo: Asylum Seeker Resource Centre / Facebook.

Tags:

Asylum Seeker, Detention, Melbourne, Protest, Refugee

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