BY SARAH STEPHEN
The movement for refugee rights took a great leap forward on June 3, Australia's first ever nationally coordinated day of protest in defence of the rights of detained asylum seekers. Rallying to the cry "Free the refugees", protests were held in six cities, mobilising more than 5000 supporters and attracting considerable public attention.
Immigration minister Philip Ruddock was quick to criticise the protesters, telling the Melbourne Age "There are some people who naively believe that you don't need a detention system ... they essentially believe that we could have no borders."
It's not yet the case that there is a marked shift against those who have a racist, knee-jerk reaction to refugees, and declare that we should "send them all back".
But there has been a remarkable growth of support for refugee rights within trade unions, churches and other social justice groups, and an ever-wider circle of public opinion is being won to a pro-refugee position.
This breadth of support was abundantly clear at the nationwide June 3 rallies.
In Perth, separated by the high walls and barbed wire of the Perth Airport immigration detention centre and the temporary police barricades, around 70 protesters and 25 detainees exchanged calls for freedom, Grant Coleman reports.
Unknown to protest participants, the detainees had secretly prepared a banner during the night, using charcoal and a bed sheet. They slit open a volley ball, stuffed most of the banner inside and then threw it over the high wall: "a comet with a message", one protester observed.
Unfurled it read, "Freedom — Perth Detention Centre. [We have] no human rights! Unjust, agonising and draconian policy of mandatory detention for asylum seekers demonises refugees and fuels racism! Hell holes of incarceration should be shut down. Please, please ... Save us!"
Earlier in the day, around 200 refugee rights supporters braved the rain and cold for a march through the city. Speakers included representatives from Amnesty International and the Council Assisting Refugees After Detention, as well as Greens state parliamentarian Giz Watson and Philip Chilton from the Refugee Rights Action Network.
From Sydney, Pete Vella-Grech reports that 1000 people marched on Villawood detention centre in the city's western suburbs. Contingents came from local Kurdish, Iraqi, Iranian and Acehnese communities, as well as local Islamic churches, students, unions, left-wing political parties and refugee campaign groups participated.
Speaking before the gates of Villawood, NSW Labor Council secretary-elect John Robertson called the detention centres "a national disgrace", while a 12-year-old girl told of her experiences in the Woomera detention centre in the South Australian desert.
The protesters had brought along food, clothing, phone cards, and toys to give to the detainees, and asked for a small delegation from the protest to deliver the gifts to the refugees.
Protesters were angered by authorities' refusal to allow anyone in to meet with the detainees, however, and were met by thick police lines backed up by mounted police who prevented protesters linking up with the detainees.
In Darwin, 150 people signed a petition opposing the mandatory imprisonment of asylum seekers and in particular to the proposed building of a detention centre in Darwin.
In Hobart, people also signed a petition is support of full rights for refugees.
In Canberra, Daniel Harrison reports that a crowd of 400 people rallied in the city centre. Speakers including Bishop Pat Power and representatives of Amnesty International, the ACT Multicultural Council, the Independent Council for Refugee Advocacy, the ACT Trades and Labour Council and the Refugee Action Committee.
Jamie Yarnold reports that 400 people gathered in King George Square in Brisbane and heard speeches supporting refugee rights from Grace Grace, the secretary of the Queensland Council of Unions, Senator Andrew Bartlett of the Australian Democrats, indigenous activist Sam Watson and human rights expert Ross Daniels.
Bronwyn Beechey reports that 60 people took part in a rally in Adelaide.
Three thousand people rallied in the centre of Melbourne, in the largest show of support for refugees. Chaired by comedian Rod Quantock, the rally was backed by the Victorian Trades Hall Council, the Australian Council of Trade Unions and refugee rights action groups. The rally finished with a march to the immigration department office.