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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/feb/04/thousands-rally-australia-wide-against-offshore-detention-of-asylum-seekers
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| Thousands rally Australia-wide against offshore detention of asylum seekers | Thousands rally Australia-wide against offshore detention of asylum seekers |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Thousands of protesters gathered in capital cities across Australia on Thursday to protest a high court decision which allows the deportation of 267 people, including 72 children, from Australia to Nauru. | Thousands of protesters gathered in capital cities across Australia on Thursday to protest a high court decision which allows the deportation of 267 people, including 72 children, from Australia to Nauru. |
| On Wednesday, the high court upheld the constitutionality of Australia detaining asylum seekers in foreign countries, rejecting a challenge to the offshore processing system. | On Wednesday, the high court upheld the constitutionality of Australia detaining asylum seekers in foreign countries, rejecting a challenge to the offshore processing system. |
| The decision spurred a number of churches to offer sanctuary to asylum seekers facing deportation to Nauru and sparked protests in eight Australian cities which rallied around cries of “let them stay” and “close the camps”. | The decision spurred a number of churches to offer sanctuary to asylum seekers facing deportation to Nauru and sparked protests in eight Australian cities which rallied around cries of “let them stay” and “close the camps”. |
| Related: #LetThemStay: protesters gather around Australia to prevent return of asylum seekers to Nauru – live | Related: #LetThemStay: protesters gather around Australia to prevent return of asylum seekers to Nauru – live |
| The protests began in Bendigo, followed by a lunchtime demonstration in Sydney, which drew thousands of people, and rallies in Newcastle, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide in the early evening, with a 6.30pm protest scheduled for Perth. | The protests began in Bendigo, followed by a lunchtime demonstration in Sydney, which drew thousands of people, and rallies in Newcastle, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide in the early evening, with a 6.30pm protest scheduled for Perth. |
| About 80 people joined the rally in Canberra. Husnia Hushang, who moved to Canberra on a student visa three years ago to study at the Australian National University from Afghanistan, said she knew first hand why people chose to flee their home countries. | About 80 people joined the rally in Canberra. Husnia Hushang, who moved to Canberra on a student visa three years ago to study at the Australian National University from Afghanistan, said she knew first hand why people chose to flee their home countries. |
| “Just last week, close to my home town, there was a suicide attack. Nine people died,” she said. | “Just last week, close to my home town, there was a suicide attack. Nine people died,” she said. |
| She said many members of her family left behind in Afghanistan were considering making the treacherous journey to Europe by boat. | She said many members of her family left behind in Afghanistan were considering making the treacherous journey to Europe by boat. |
| “They say to me, if we go by boat it is one time that we face the risk of dying, but every day in Afghanistan we face danger.” | “They say to me, if we go by boat it is one time that we face the risk of dying, but every day in Afghanistan we face danger.” |
| The opportunities to come to Australia the right way, through official channels, were few and far between, Hushang said. | The opportunities to come to Australia the right way, through official channels, were few and far between, Hushang said. |
| She attended the Canberra rally out of compassion for the families, particularly the young children, who face the “prison-like” conditions of indefinite detention. | She attended the Canberra rally out of compassion for the families, particularly the young children, who face the “prison-like” conditions of indefinite detention. |
| 4-yr old Zoe's mum brought her & her siblings to Canb rally to urge the govt to #LetThemStay @mlle_elle @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/RqnsdAgpad | 4-yr old Zoe's mum brought her & her siblings to Canb rally to urge the govt to #LetThemStay @mlle_elle @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/RqnsdAgpad |
| At least 5,000 people attended a #LetThemStay rally in Melbourne and staged a sit-in outside the Liberal party headquarters at the corner of Collins and Exhibition Streets. | At least 5,000 people attended a #LetThemStay rally in Melbourne and staged a sit-in outside the Liberal party headquarters at the corner of Collins and Exhibition Streets. |
| Related: #LetThemStay: share your stories if you are joining protests around Australia | Related: #LetThemStay: share your stories if you are joining protests around Australia |
| The Victorian Trades Hall followed the lead of many Australian churches and offered to open its doors as a refuge to refugees. | The Victorian Trades Hall followed the lead of many Australian churches and offered to open its doors as a refuge to refugees. |
| Bourke st at standstill for the #LetThemStay call to #auspol Free the Refugees NOW!!! pic.twitter.com/OhcMerGrgT | Bourke st at standstill for the #LetThemStay call to #auspol Free the Refugees NOW!!! pic.twitter.com/OhcMerGrgT |
| Protesters in Sydney gathered outside Malcolm Turnbull’s Wentworth electoral office in the eastern suburbs of Sydney for a planned sit-in. | Protesters in Sydney gathered outside Malcolm Turnbull’s Wentworth electoral office in the eastern suburbs of Sydney for a planned sit-in. |
| Joyce Fu from the group, People Just Like Us, said the group would stay until Malcolm Turnbull announced that 267 asylum seekers would be allowed to stay. | Joyce Fu from the group, People Just Like Us, said the group would stay until Malcolm Turnbull announced that 267 asylum seekers would be allowed to stay. |
| 'People Just Like Us' and @MehreenFaruqi at Turnbull's Wentworth electorate office #LetThemStay pic.twitter.com/ckCH72wOrD | 'People Just Like Us' and @MehreenFaruqi at Turnbull's Wentworth electorate office #LetThemStay pic.twitter.com/ckCH72wOrD |
| Pakistani-born NSW Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi, who attended the sit-in, said: “People are here today to give a loud and clear message to Malcolm Turnbull that if he has any vestige of decency and compassion in him he must rule out sending people – women, men, children, babies – back to the prison jails of Nauru.” | Pakistani-born NSW Greens MP Mehreen Faruqi, who attended the sit-in, said: “People are here today to give a loud and clear message to Malcolm Turnbull that if he has any vestige of decency and compassion in him he must rule out sending people – women, men, children, babies – back to the prison jails of Nauru.” |
| A earlier rally in Sydney at lunchtime drew several thousand protesters. | A earlier rally in Sydney at lunchtime drew several thousand protesters. |
| Iraqi-born refugee activist Mohammad Baqiri, who arrived with his family by boat and was detained in Nauru for three years, told the rally Australia had turned Nauru and Manus Island into “prison islands” and must let the asylum seekers stay. | Iraqi-born refugee activist Mohammad Baqiri, who arrived with his family by boat and was detained in Nauru for three years, told the rally Australia had turned Nauru and Manus Island into “prison islands” and must let the asylum seekers stay. |
| “My message is clear. We have so many support services for those 267 asylum seekers that are being sent back, and 37 of them are babies. How could they?” he said. | “My message is clear. We have so many support services for those 267 asylum seekers that are being sent back, and 37 of them are babies. How could they?” he said. |
| Mohsen Soltani, an Iranian refugee and former Villawood detainee, spent four years in detention told the crowd: “I have witnessed how the kids are going to be affected. They desperately need hope. But the bloody [political] parties use them for their own propaganda. It’s a tragedy for Australia, it’s totally shameful,” he said. | Mohsen Soltani, an Iranian refugee and former Villawood detainee, spent four years in detention told the crowd: “I have witnessed how the kids are going to be affected. They desperately need hope. But the bloody [political] parties use them for their own propaganda. It’s a tragedy for Australia, it’s totally shameful,” he said. |
| Julie Macken of Women Supporting Women on Nauru seized on immigration minister Peter Dutton’s claim he would not send children into harm’s way, and said that returning them to Nauru would do just that. | Julie Macken of Women Supporting Women on Nauru seized on immigration minister Peter Dutton’s claim he would not send children into harm’s way, and said that returning them to Nauru would do just that. |
| Dutton has said the federal government will not drag asylum seekers out of churches to take them back to Nauru but, when asked about the possibility of deportation in question time, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said he would not rule out sending the 267 asylum seekers back to Nauru. | Dutton has said the federal government will not drag asylum seekers out of churches to take them back to Nauru but, when asked about the possibility of deportation in question time, prime minister Malcolm Turnbull said he would not rule out sending the 267 asylum seekers back to Nauru. |
| Hundreds more people attended rallies in Adelaide, Bendigo and Newcastle, where they demanded the government allow the asylum seekers to stay in Australia. | Hundreds more people attended rallies in Adelaide, Bendigo and Newcastle, where they demanded the government allow the asylum seekers to stay in Australia. |
| The crowd at Parliament House, Adelaide now, post-High Court decision on refugees. pic.twitter.com/DS90KsHypO | The crowd at Parliament House, Adelaide now, post-High Court decision on refugees. pic.twitter.com/DS90KsHypO |
| In Perth hundreds gathered outside Immigration Residential Housing in East Redcliffe and the Australian Border Force office at Perth airport. | |
| According to the Refugee Rights Action Network, Perth is home to a number of families who could be among those deported following the high court decision, including a Syrian family with young children. All were brought to Perth for medical treatment. | According to the Refugee Rights Action Network, Perth is home to a number of families who could be among those deported following the high court decision, including a Syrian family with young children. All were brought to Perth for medical treatment. |
| Further protests are planned for Friday in in Brisbane, Hobart, Launceston and again in Adelaide. | Further protests are planned for Friday in in Brisbane, Hobart, Launceston and again in Adelaide. |
| A report released after the high court decision, based on interviews by paediatricians of asylum seekers with children inside Wickham Point and Christmas Island detention centres, found children suffered mental trauma, including instances of attempted suicide and an overwhelming fear of being returned to Nauru. | A report released after the high court decision, based on interviews by paediatricians of asylum seekers with children inside Wickham Point and Christmas Island detention centres, found children suffered mental trauma, including instances of attempted suicide and an overwhelming fear of being returned to Nauru. |