BY TOM NELSON

BYRON BAY — People power hit the streets on February 14 when 500 people defied the rain to march for refugees' rights. It was by far the largest pro-refugee action ever held in northern NSW.

Protesters chanted, “Freedom not racism! Justice now!” as they marched down the main street, before stopping to hear a range of speakers and musicians organised by the fast-growing Byron Shire Refugee Action Collective.

There was a huge cheer from the crowd when Gareth Smith, a veteran peace and social-justice activist, declared: “We have a fascist government and we have to bring it down!” Showing off his Che Guevara t-shirt, Smith argued that we have to fight to replace xenophobia with solidarity, quoting Che: “If you tremble with indignation at every injustice, then you are a comrade of mine.”

Local Anglican minister Kent Williams emphasised the need for all those who “value human beings” to “confront prejudice” on the issue. “If the government ... deems mandatory detention for those who seek asylum as a just and compassionate response to their plight, I stand before you today as a subversive”, he said.

Lawyer Frank Corey pointed out the illegality of the government's refugee policy. Other speakers included Byron Shire Greens Councillor Jan Barham, who encouraged participants to lobby politicians to support Senator Bob Brown's motion for an inquiry into the treatment of refugees.

Nick Fredman from the Socialist Alliance argued that the most effective pressure on both government and Labor politicians was mass protest action. Fredman told the crowd that they should be confident that a majority can be won to supporting the refugees, and urged those present to help “build a political movement that can get rid of bigotry and xenophobia — we have a world to win”.

From Green Left Weekly, February 13, 2002.
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