Refugee supporters call on Victorian premier to act against cruelty

January 18, 2021
Issue 
Refugee rights supporters keep watch outside the detention hotel. Photo: Mostafa Azimitabar

About 100 people rallied outside Victorian Premier Daniel Andrew’s office on January 14 to present a petition calling on him to act to stop the cruelty towards refugees.

There was a large police presence and later two organisers were told they would be fined $500 each for “excessive noise”.

The petition, signed by more than 16,000 people, called on Andrews to “speak up against anti-refugee cruelty in Victoria”, in particular the detention of 65 refugees in the Park Hotel in Carlton.

Daily protests are being organised outside the hotel at 6pm on week days and at 3pm on weekends.

In 2016, Andrews offered Victorian government assistance to refugees if they were freed. This time he has remained silent.

Worse still, he has allowed the Victoria Police to repress protests, including by fining participants in a car cavalcade last April and arresting Refugee Action Collective member Chris Breen for “incitement”.

[For more information visit Refugee Action Collective – Victoria.]

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