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#LightTheDark: tens of thousands gather across Australia over migration crisis #LightTheDark: tens of thousands gather across Australia over migration crisis
(4 months later)
Tens of thousands of people gathered at events across the country on Monday evening to urge action on the humanitarian crisis arising from the conflict in Syria. Tens of thousands of people attended candlelight vigils across Australia in support of refugees on Monday evening, adding their voices to the growing pressure on Australia to accept more people who are fleeing the war in Syria.
Large crowds attended the Light the Dark events in Sydney, Melbourne, Darwin, Adelaide, Perth and Hobart to honour the life of Aylan Kurdi, the three-year-old Syrian boy whose body was pictured on a Turkish beach, sparking an outcry over Europe’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
The call went out on social media under the hashtags #refugeeswelcome and #LightTheDark, with planned gatherings in major cities as well as more spontaneous events elsewhere.The call went out on social media under the hashtags #refugeeswelcome and #LightTheDark, with planned gatherings in major cities as well as more spontaneous events elsewhere.
Related: Tony Abbott hints at taking fight to Isis in Syria amid pressure to help country's refugees Related: #LightTheDark: readers share their photos from around Australia
aaaaaa so proud that so many peoples showed up at the #adelaide #lightthedark pic.twitter.com/jk9mchdho4aaaaaa so proud that so many peoples showed up at the #adelaide #lightthedark pic.twitter.com/jk9mchdho4
Lighting candles of compassion for Aylan and all those fleeing danger #LightTheDark #Perth pic.twitter.com/lVrtrXu4yTLighting candles of compassion for Aylan and all those fleeing danger #LightTheDark #Perth pic.twitter.com/lVrtrXu4yT
Many people lit candles at major rallies in Hobart, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney and Melbourne to light the gloom, echoing the scenes in February 2014 when vigils were held across the country for Reza Barati, the Iranian man killed during violent scenes at the Manus Island detention centre. A crowd of several thousand gathered in the drizzle of Melbourne’s Treasury Gardens to call for more to be done to help Syrian refugees. Several held signs offering to share their homes with those escaping the four-year war, which has resulted in more than 4 million people fleeing the country.
Hobart #LightTheDark. Photo by @jamesfahy. pic.twitter.com/6voGJk3CMcHobart #LightTheDark. Photo by @jamesfahy. pic.twitter.com/6voGJk3CMc
Pamela Curr, of the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, said such rallies would continue until the Australian government “opens its heart, opens its mind and opens the doors of Australia. We will keep coming out to fight, to light the dark until our government opens its heart and opens the door.”
Sydney says #welcome! #LightTheDark pic.twitter.com/UrTNEcTlfOSydney says #welcome! #LightTheDark pic.twitter.com/UrTNEcTlfO
A huge crowd braved a cold, drizzly night in the Treasury Gardens and paid tribute to Syrian boy Aylan Kurdi, who drowned during his family’s flight from Syria. In Sydney, about 5,000 people rallied in Hyde Park, with many people holding signs reading, “You are welcome here.”
Wow Melbourne. Get down to Treasury Gardens now - this is huge #LightTheDark #refugeeswelcome pic.twitter.com/aTLlj6rvW2Wow Melbourne. Get down to Treasury Gardens now - this is huge #LightTheDark #refugeeswelcome pic.twitter.com/aTLlj6rvW2
The image of Aylan’s body, washed on to a Turkish beach following his families failed bid to flee Syria by boat, has become a symbol of the humanitarian crisis. A Gosford Anglican priest, Rod Bower, spoke to the crowd about Aylan Kurdi. The image of Aylan’s body, washed on to a Turkish beach after his family’s bid to flee Syria by boat, has become a symbol of the humanitarian crisis.
Related: #LightTheDark: share your photos and videosRelated: #LightTheDark: share your photos and videos
The large crowd circled a tiny marquee and backed along Spring Street and Treasury Place listening to speakers including two resettled refugees and refugee advocate Pamela Curr. Ms Curr led a minute’s silence for Aylan as rain tumbled. “Without warning this child has become every refugee,” Bower said. “An archetype, every refugee, calling us to the fullness of humanity.
She urged the federal government to review its border protection policies and welcome refugees to Australia. “None but the wilfully deaf, the wilfully blind and the dead of heart can remain unmoved. Sadly it is those wilfully blind, to our eternal shame, who govern us this day.”
RT @AmeliaAmnestyOz: 1-2-3> thousands at #lighthedark say #RefugeesWelcome, literally. pic.twitter.com/5BUNt4JaYq The scenes echoed those of February 2014 when vigils were held across the country for Reza Barati, the Iranian man killed during violence at the Manus Island detention centre.
In Darwin, several hundred people gathered at Nightcliff Jetty to listen to speeches by advocates, former Save the Children workers and refugees. In Darwin, people gathered on the Nightcliff jetty and foreshore to hear speeches by advocates, former Save the Children workers and refugees. Several people held signs reading “People just like us.” In Perth, several hundred people rallied in Northbridge.
Several speakers urged local residents not to ignore what was going on in their own backyard with asylum seekers – some suffering severe health problems – held at the nearby Wickham Point detention centre. A further rally will be held in Canberra on Tuesday, while Brisbane will hold a Light the Dark event on Friday.
Local Catholic bishop Eugene Hurley told the crowd he remained affected by people he met at South Australia’s Woomera detention centre. #Lismore gathered to #LightTheDark and call on our leaders to increase intake of refugees #refugeeswelcome here! 💛 pic.twitter.com/a5N9bA9RMr
Hurley said he was told by one detainee: “If freedom is all you’ve known then you’ve never known freedom.” State governments and federal MPs have been increasing the pressure on Tony Abbott to accept a far greater number of Syrians.
Abbott has said Australia would take a “significant” number of Syrians but will not increase the overall refugee quota, which stands at nearly 14,000 people.
Labor has said 10,000 extra places should immediately be made available to those fleeing Syria. Ewen Jones, a Liberal MP, told the ABC that the number should be higher, at around 50,000.
The Victorian state government and opposition have called for a greater refugee intake, while Mike Baird, the New South Wales premier, told ABC’s Q&A program that the figure could be more than 10,000 people. “Who is to say we can’t do more?” he said.
#LightTheDark Darwin pic.twitter.com/NYxpBpgKnz#LightTheDark Darwin pic.twitter.com/NYxpBpgKnz
On Sunday, the prime minister, Tony Abbott, said Australia would consider taking more Syrian and Iraqi refugees as part of the humanitarian visa program, while ruling out an increase in the overall number. Colin Barnett, the West Australian premier, has said the state could deal with 1,000 refugees while his South Australian counterpart, Jay Weatherill, has told Abbott that the state could house 700 to 800 people.
The opposition Labor party wants the government to offer a one-off boost of 10,000 permanent refugee places to deal with the humanitarian crisis from the ongoing Syrian conflict. The visas would include family reunion and community-sponsored humanitarian visas.
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#Melbourne you're doing us proud as you #LightTheDark to say #refugeeswelcome. Yes they are! #AylanKurdi #Syria pic.twitter.com/3NmfSUaC3b#Melbourne you're doing us proud as you #LightTheDark to say #refugeeswelcome. Yes they are! #AylanKurdi #Syria pic.twitter.com/3NmfSUaC3b
The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said on Monday: “We are proposing a significant increase because this is a significant crisis.”The opposition leader, Bill Shorten, said on Monday: “We are proposing a significant increase because this is a significant crisis.”
vigil for refugees in Hyde Park Sydney is growing! #refugeeswelcome pic.twitter.com/kwhuwD0xqcvigil for refugees in Hyde Park Sydney is growing! #refugeeswelcome pic.twitter.com/kwhuwD0xqc
Related: Tony Abbott hints at taking fight to Isis in Syria amid pressure to help country's refugees
@TonyAbbottMHR please resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees #LightTheDark #RefugeesWelcome @amnestyOz pic.twitter.com/OD2ZT6b3Qu@TonyAbbottMHR please resettle 20,000 Syrian refugees #LightTheDark #RefugeesWelcome @amnestyOz pic.twitter.com/OD2ZT6b3Qu
Shalailah Medhora and Australian Associated Press contributed to this report Shalailah Medhora, Helen Davidson and Australian Associated Press contributed to this report