Aust: 23000 march for refugees nationally

23000 march for refugees nationally

Canberra Palm Sunday rally claimed a crowd of over 3000 with Sydney (4000) and Melbourne (10,000) attracting large groups. Nationally, with regional event figures combined, over 23,000 marched: Bendigo, Townsville and Whyalla among them.

For NSW, there were impressive gatherings in Wollongong, Newcastle, Gosford and the Riverina as well as in metro Sydney yesterday 25.3.18.

However media chose to focus on finance and cricket.

Sydney attracted a range of clergy in robes and dog collars. There was even a Uniting Church Leichhardt drum band in Sydney as well as a the colourful Riff Raff Band.

Many Mum and Dad worshippers fresh from church attended the rally, waving Palm Fronds.

Once again, a range of aboriginal speakers emphasised that Refugees were Welcomed on Aboriginal land.

Nauru medical Whistleblower Doc Martin (Nick Martin, actually) spoke in Armidale today.

His recent work on two cases of delayed medical treatment for acutely ill children has recently been in the spotlight.

The child known as AYX18 has been mentioned on ABC tv a great deal since a Guardian article last Thursday.

There are still 5 children in dire medical straits on Nauru and 157 refugee minors who have no immediate prospect of removal to a less dusty or mouldy home. Around 40 people overall are in need of medical care off Nauru, according to Martin.

The crowd funded Solicitor in those cases George Newhouse of the National Justice Project, was but one bystander in crowds peppered with well known faces.

Belmore Park crowds filled Broadway and stretched 4 blocks on the march up to Victoria Park (Syd Uni / Chippendale / Glebe).

Inequity was also mentioned to an unexpectedly loud roar from the crowd.

Speakers list for Sydney from Ian Rintoul. Tel: 0417275713

In Melbourne, the 3-D sculpture of a potato skewered on a fork was accompanied by a hessian bag emblazoned “Sack Dutton”.

Refugees still trapped on Manus addressed the Melbourne crowd by phone / video link.

Canberra, Brisbane and WA rallies were also well attended. Carmen Lawrence spoke in Perth. Townsville and Whyalla marched.

Signage acknowledged that although lefties were “dead to Dutton” to quote the Minister of Home Affairs on 2GB Ray Hadley, they also voted.

Also “Dead to Dutton” are many the unions attending such as the Nurses and Midwives Association, the Teachers Federation, volunteer run refugee support groups, churches, nuns, religious charities, Mums4Refugees, Labor4Refugees, The Greens, NGOs like Amnesty, GetUp and student groups.

The deaths of many detainees were also raised in this context.

Video available on Facebook pages.

There was some mention of white South African farmers and whether needs were more acute than, for example, those of Rohingyas or folk fleeing decade long wars.

Images supplied separately on request or from Twitter or my FB Page:

#PalmSunday #Refugees #SetThemFree #Manus #Nauru #auspol #Insiders #BringThemHere #RefugeesWelcome #CloseTheCamps #BringThemHere

#JustNotCricket #OffshoreDetentionIsJuatNotCricket

J Salmon
Refugee Supporter

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