BY ALISON DELLIT
Thousands of refugee-rights supporters hit the streets on the June 21-22 weekend, to protest against the Australian government's mandatory detention of asylum seekers and deportations of refugees.
The largest protest was in Melbourne on June 22, attended by 2500 people, including a "200+" contingent, highlighting the number of children still in detention.
Canberran protesters decked the city centre with hundreds of coloured hearts, calling on the government to "have a heart for refugees" also on June 22. Many had been decorated with artwork or poems by schoolchildren and others. The 400 protesters also heard a passionate speech from refugee lawyer Marion Le.
"You are the conscience of the nation", Mohsin, an Iranian refugee who spent four years in Villawood detention centre, told the 1000 Sydney protesters. The protest also heard from Labor MP Carmen Lawrence, Greens Senator Kerry Nettle and author Tom Keneally. On the same day, 300 attended a protest in Brisbane and 150 marched in Newcastle.
On June 21, 200-strong protests were held in Hobart and Perth. Perth activist Phil Chilton told the protesters that it may be necessary to break the law to stop the deportation of refugees. The Hobart protest launched a Tasmanians for Refugees campaign to ensure permanent protection for asylum seekers.
From Green Left Weekly, June 25, 2003.
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