#LetThemStay Protesters Build 37 Cribs At Bondi, One For Each Refugee Baby

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Published

February 12, 2016

The #LetThemStay campaign is showing zero signs of slowing down.

This morning, a makeshift nursery / art installation was erected on Bondi Beach in protest of the 267 refugees facing being sent back to Nauru any day now, right in Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull‘s own electorate of Wentworth.

Organised by GetUp!, and with support of ASRC, People Like Us and Digital Storytellers, a full 37 cribs were set up on the beach, one for each of the 37 refugee babies facing deportation and conveniently within Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull‘s electorate.

The whole thing had a very interactive element; aside from the cribs that were legit covered in barbed wire, people were encouraged to bring their offspring down to the beach and plonk them in cribs. Nothing stirs an emotive response like innocent child eyes, right Turnbull? Dutton?

A Facebook event page asked people to bring signs, flowers, soft toys etc down to the installation.

#LetThemStay on #BondiBeach! Great work @avismulhall and everyone that came along to show their support. @GetUp pic.twitter.com/YDEHfb4xqF

— Social Good Stuff (@socialgoodstuff) February 11, 2016

“Cribs from the #LetThemStay #bondibeach campaign will be donated to refugees” @avismulhall pic.twitter.com/5JvfKMBB9Y

— Lina Mbirkou (@LinaMbirkou) February 11, 2016

#LetThemStay #bondibeach right now ?? pic.twitter.com/2myXjOEUTI

— ASRC (@ASRC1) February 11, 2016

“Babies should be in mother’s groups, not detention centres,” the event said.

Today’s activities also coincide (intentional or no) with an op-ed penned by Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews being published The Age, in response to his call to the Prime Minister to allow the refugees to stay in Victoria.

“We – the Victorian Government – offered to take full care of these children and their families, because shipping them off to a sparse island is not the act of a decent nation and not our idea of a fair solution,” he wrote. “Right now, they are on a one-way ticket to Nauru, so we’re offering to take full responsibility for them.

“Some people called it a political stung. I can assure you it wasn’t. The last thing these kids need is more politics. In fact, it’s only when you take the politics out of this sad situation that the right answer becomes clear. That’s what happened to me.”

Neither Turnbull nor Dutton have given any indication that the refugees will be spared being sent back to Nauru, but have said that each case will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Photos: Twitter.