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| Protesters arrested trying to stop transfer of Villawood asylum seekers | Protesters arrested trying to stop transfer of Villawood asylum seekers |
| (5 months later) | |
| A group of about 40 protesters blocked the main gate at the Villawood detention centre in Sydney in an attempt to prevent the transfer of a group of asylum seekers – some of whom are involved in legal action against the Department of Immigration – to a remote detention centre in Western Australia. | |
| Two coaches carrying the asylum seekers for transfer eventually made it through the blockade after police moved in. Police said they made eight to 10 arrests. Two witnesses said some asylum seekers on board the coaches were handcuffed. | Two coaches carrying the asylum seekers for transfer eventually made it through the blockade after police moved in. Police said they made eight to 10 arrests. Two witnesses said some asylum seekers on board the coaches were handcuffed. |
| On Wednesday, a last-minute attempt to prevent the transfer, which lawyers acting for the asylum seekers say will make their job “impossible”, failed in the federal circuit court. | On Wednesday, a last-minute attempt to prevent the transfer, which lawyers acting for the asylum seekers say will make their job “impossible”, failed in the federal circuit court. |
| On Friday, 16 of the transferred asylum seekers are due to have their case against the department heard in court. They will argue that a huge data breach, which disclosed the personal details of nearly 10,000 asylum seekers in Australia and was revealed by Guardian Australia, was in violation of both the Migration Act and the Privacy Act. Dozens of cases are expected to follow. | On Friday, 16 of the transferred asylum seekers are due to have their case against the department heard in court. They will argue that a huge data breach, which disclosed the personal details of nearly 10,000 asylum seekers in Australia and was revealed by Guardian Australia, was in violation of both the Migration Act and the Privacy Act. Dozens of cases are expected to follow. |
| Lawyers and advocates working for the asylum seekers argue the transfer is politically motivated and designed to disrupt the proceedings, but the Immigration Department says it is due to renovations at the detention centre. | Lawyers and advocates working for the asylum seekers argue the transfer is politically motivated and designed to disrupt the proceedings, but the Immigration Department says it is due to renovations at the detention centre. |
| According to the Refugee Action Coalition a sit-in protest began inside Villawood, with up to 50 asylum seekers due for transfer to Curtin and another detention centre in Western Australia, Yongah Hill, taking part. | According to the Refugee Action Coalition a sit-in protest began inside Villawood, with up to 50 asylum seekers due for transfer to Curtin and another detention centre in Western Australia, Yongah Hill, taking part. |
| A Villawood source confirmed that asylum seekers in two compounds were involved in a protest. | A Villawood source confirmed that asylum seekers in two compounds were involved in a protest. |
| Clo Schofield, 20, and a member of the student group Students Thinking Outside Borders, said: “Isolating asylum seekers from the advocates and lawyers within the Villawood community is a deliberate and political move, which has coincided with the axing of asylum seeker legal aid.” | Clo Schofield, 20, and a member of the student group Students Thinking Outside Borders, said: “Isolating asylum seekers from the advocates and lawyers within the Villawood community is a deliberate and political move, which has coincided with the axing of asylum seeker legal aid.” |
| The Greens senator Lee Rhiannon was also at the protest. “I’ve come here today to join those who are supporting detainees,” she said. “They should not be sent away from Villawood where they have at least some level of community support.” | The Greens senator Lee Rhiannon was also at the protest. “I’ve come here today to join those who are supporting detainees,” she said. “They should not be sent away from Villawood where they have at least some level of community support.” |
| She described the transfer decision as “another layer of cruelty that the Coalition is inflicting on asylum seekers”. | She described the transfer decision as “another layer of cruelty that the Coalition is inflicting on asylum seekers”. |
| She accused the police of using “excessive force” in some instances when removing protesters from the gate. | She accused the police of using “excessive force” in some instances when removing protesters from the gate. |