Protesters in Brisbane last night staged a peaceful sit-in at the Brisbane City Hall in a statement against the forced closures of Indigenous communities in Western Australia.
The protesters reportedly spent about two hours in Brisbane’s City Hall, in a protest that followed extensive demonstrations across the nation (and in Canada, New Zealand, USA, Germany and London) on Friday. No injuries or arrests were made at the sit-in, according to the Guardian.
Taking over City Hall in Brisbane today for #SOSBLAKAUSTRALIA pic.twitter.com/wmbKOMRoRC
— Beyond Green (@Beyond_Green_Au) May 2, 2015
Brisbane Aboriginal Sovereign Embassy spokesman Paul Spearim told the Guardian that the protest was a “statement” against the forced closures, and condemned Prime Minister Tony Abbott‘s comments on remote Indigenous communities being a “lifestyle choice” earlier this year:
“Tony Abbott’s comment, it’s a lifestyle choice – it’s not a lifestyle choice. We live on these communities because it’s a part of us being who we are because of Indigenous people. It’s our song, it’s our dance, it’s our stories. Tony Abbott and Barnett don’t understand that concept about belonging to something that is older than time.”
Dear @theheraldsun you’re on #Aboriginal land. Don’t you forget it. Your #racism is not welcomed. #SOSBLAKAUSTRALIA pic.twitter.com/zXXEjzGAdq
— Kon Karapanagiotidis (@Kon__K) May 2, 2015
“SMDH” whilst head-desking into oblivion doesn’t even cut it, at this point.
On Friday, Pedestrian went to the Sydney protests, where Ernie Dingo powerfully spoke out against the closures of Indigenous communities. Watch below.
Via the Guardian.
Image by Scott Barbour via Getty.
For more information about this valuable cause, head to sosblakauutralia.com.
