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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2016/feb/04/let-them-stay-protesters-gather-around-australia-to-prevent-return-of-asylum-seekers-to-nauru
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| Let Them Stay: protesters gather around Australia to prevent return of asylum seekers to Nauru – live | Let Them Stay: protesters gather around Australia to prevent return of asylum seekers to Nauru – live |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| 11.54pm GMT | |
| 23:54 | |
| Professor Gillian Triggs, the president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, is this morning presenting a new report that reveals the impacts of detention on children, informed by interviews and medical testing of children at the Wickham Point detention facility. Many of the children had spent time in Nauru. | |
| Introducing the report at a media briefing in Sydney earlier this morning, Triggs spoke of the “disturbing” findings of the earlier Forgotten Children report: | |
| This Report examined the impact of prolonged mandatory, indefinite immigration detention on the mental and physical heath of children. The findings were disturbing. In short, detention, whether on Christmas Island, Nauru or centres on the Australian mainland, is dangerous and unsafe for children. 34% of the hundreds of children we visited had severe to moderate mental illness, compared to 2% of children in the Australian community. Their health and wellbeing, and that of their parents, was at risk from cramped conditions in tents and remodelled containers, inadequate health care, even sexual and other assaults. | |
| Two consultant paediatricians involved in the production of this new report, Professor Elizabeth Elliott and Dr Hasantha Gunasekera, are also speaking at the briefing. | |
| My colleague, Guardian Australia’s immigration correspondent Ben Doherty, will be filing more shortly. In the meantime, the Human Rights Commission and some of those present are live-tweeting. | |
| Prof Elliott and Dr Gunasekera recommended under no circumstances should any child detained on mainland be sent to Naura @AusHumanRights | |
| Prof Elliott and Dr Gunasekera recommended under no circumstances should any child detained on mainland be sent to Naura @AusHumanRights | |
| Paediatrician Elizabeth Elliott AM says she fears for these #children if sent back to #Nauru. Very high levels of self-harm, despair | |
| Offshore detention the most damaging to children https://t.co/NzGcJEODKv | |
| Dr Gunasekera says many #children born behind fences in immigration detention - they know no other life https://t.co/hwdHR3byaY #AusLaw | |
| Dr Gunasekera says we can't forget these families have already fled traumatic events https://t.co/hwdHR3byaY #AusLaw | |
| @AusHumanRights removing blanket provisions offers asylum seekers in detention some hope | |
| @AusHumanRights would like to see all children and families remain in Australia. | |
| Dr Elizabeth Elliott AM says that mismatch between the severity of mental health problems in detention and availability of specialists | |
| Prof Elliott has raised 50 severely traumatised children with gov for review | |
| Updated | |
| at 12.06am GMT | |
| 11.40pm GMT | |
| 23:40 | |
| Cartoonist Judy Horacek has tweeted her cartoon from today’s Age. | |
| My cartoon from today's Age #LetThemStay pic.twitter.com/D8Qjgd6REM | |
| 11.35pm GMT | 11.35pm GMT |
| 23:35 | 23:35 |
| The first of today’s demonstrations will be held in Sydney, with protesters gathering outside the Department of Immigration and, in the Blue Mountains, the Leura Mall at 12.30pm AEDT. | The first of today’s demonstrations will be held in Sydney, with protesters gathering outside the Department of Immigration and, in the Blue Mountains, the Leura Mall at 12.30pm AEDT. |
| Among those scheduled to speak at the central Sydney demonstration are the NSW Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi and Gaby Judd of Grandmothers Against Detention of Refugee Children. | Among those scheduled to speak at the central Sydney demonstration are the NSW Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi and Gaby Judd of Grandmothers Against Detention of Refugee Children. |
| Protests will begin in Newcastle, Melbourne and Canberra at 5.30pm, and in Perth at 6.30pm AWST. | Protests will begin in Newcastle, Melbourne and Canberra at 5.30pm, and in Perth at 6.30pm AWST. |
| A snap protest has been called for this afternoon in Bendigo, Victoria – there’s more details on Facebook. | A snap protest has been called for this afternoon in Bendigo, Victoria – there’s more details on Facebook. |
| There are two planned in Adelaide – this afternoon at 5.30pm ACDT and tomorrow at 4pm. | There are two planned in Adelaide – this afternoon at 5.30pm ACDT and tomorrow at 4pm. |
| Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart and Launceston will follow tomorrow afternoon, with demonstrations in Darwin and Central Coast scheduled on Monday evening. Let me know in the comments or on Twitter if you hear of any others organised. | Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart and Launceston will follow tomorrow afternoon, with demonstrations in Darwin and Central Coast scheduled on Monday evening. Let me know in the comments or on Twitter if you hear of any others organised. |
| #LetThemStay protests planned in the coming days so far – let me know if you know of any more pic.twitter.com/iUOTxeQ1om | #LetThemStay protests planned in the coming days so far – let me know if you know of any more pic.twitter.com/iUOTxeQ1om |
| Many of the demonstrations have been organised by the Refugee Action Coalition as part of “national mobilisations” to call on the government to let the 267 asylum seekers and refugees stay in Australia. | Many of the demonstrations have been organised by the Refugee Action Coalition as part of “national mobilisations” to call on the government to let the 267 asylum seekers and refugees stay in Australia. |
| Spokesman Ian Rintoul said the government could not hide its responsibility for offshore processing behind the high court’s ruling on Wednesday. | Spokesman Ian Rintoul said the government could not hide its responsibility for offshore processing behind the high court’s ruling on Wednesday. |
| “In the higher court of public opinion, everyone knows that Australia is responsible. ... The government has always had the power not to send asylum seekers back to offshore detention.” | “In the higher court of public opinion, everyone knows that Australia is responsible. ... The government has always had the power not to send asylum seekers back to offshore detention.” |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.37pm GMT | at 11.37pm GMT |
| 11.04pm GMT | 11.04pm GMT |
| 23:04 | 23:04 |
| Elle Hunt | Elle Hunt |
| Good morning. | Good morning. |
| Protests will be held across Australia today against the potential return of asylum seekers who have suffered trauma and abuse to Nauru. | Protests will be held across Australia today against the potential return of asylum seekers who have suffered trauma and abuse to Nauru. |
| On Wednesday the high court ruled Australia’s offshore detention regime on Nauru had been lawfully established, meaning that up to 267 asylum seekers on the mainland – including a five-year-old child, and more than 30 babies – could be sent back to the island nation. | On Wednesday the high court ruled Australia’s offshore detention regime on Nauru had been lawfully established, meaning that up to 267 asylum seekers on the mainland – including a five-year-old child, and more than 30 babies – could be sent back to the island nation. |
| Anglican and Uniting churches around the country have offered them sanctuary at the risk of being charged with offences such as obstruction or even “concealing and harbouring non-citizens”. | Anglican and Uniting churches around the country have offered them sanctuary at the risk of being charged with offences such as obstruction or even “concealing and harbouring non-citizens”. |
| The Anglican Dean of Brisbane, the Very Reverend Dr Peter Catt, said on ABC Radio National this morning the decision to offer refuge was because of “irrefutable evidence” that the circumstances faced by asylum seekers on Nauru is “tantamount to state-sanctioned abuse”. | The Anglican Dean of Brisbane, the Very Reverend Dr Peter Catt, said on ABC Radio National this morning the decision to offer refuge was because of “irrefutable evidence” that the circumstances faced by asylum seekers on Nauru is “tantamount to state-sanctioned abuse”. |
| The Refugee Action Coalition has organised protests to be held across the country in the coming days to call on the government to let the asylum seekers and refugees remain in Australia. | The Refugee Action Coalition has organised protests to be held across the country in the coming days to call on the government to let the asylum seekers and refugees remain in Australia. |
| We’ll be reporting from the protests today, as well as on other reaction to the high court ruling. If you’re planning to attend a demonstration, please do tweet me from the scene – I’m on Twitter at @mlle_elle. | We’ll be reporting from the protests today, as well as on other reaction to the high court ruling. If you’re planning to attend a demonstration, please do tweet me from the scene – I’m on Twitter at @mlle_elle. |
| Updated | Updated |
| at 11.22pm GMT | at 11.22pm GMT |