A group of refugee rights activists staged an eight-hour blockade outside Villawood Immigration Detention Centre on April 3 to try to stop buses forcibly relocating refugees to Curtin Detention Centre in remote WA. Eight protesters, including Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly's live blogger Rachel Evans (scroll down to see her photos from the action) were arrested.
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April 5
11am: Riot police this morning forcibly dispersed about 100 protesters who had gathered outside the gates of Villawood detention centre, blocking the road to prevent two buses carrying asylum seekers from leaving.
Refugee advocates had been outside the centre since 11pm last night after rumours the asylum seekers would be moved in the middle of the night. Protesters report police used extreme violence during the operation to clear the road, with allegations police punched two protesters in the face. There were three arrests.
When buses drove out of the centre, the windows were blacked out to stop asylum seekers seeing the crowd. In response, the diverse crowd of protesters — including highschool students and regular visitors to the centre — chanted their support for the refugees.
Photos: Rachel Evans
Greens MLC John Kaye addresses the crowd on April 5.
A large contingent of police outside the centre.
Riot police facing off against protesters at Villawood. Detainees being transferred with purpose of denying legal rights against Dep abuses
— Wendy Bacon (@Wendy_Bacon)
The transfer of seekers from Villawood to Curtin as punishment for standing up for their rights is an appalling abuse of power.
— ASRC (@ASRC1)
This twitter feed has been set up by asylum seekers inside Villawood.
April 3
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Update: Two buses full of handcuffed asylum seekers have left Villawood despite activists blocking the road. Police have made six arrests, according to Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon. Students for Refugees says at least eight arrests, several injured and a .
Police broke 7 hr blockade to get buses through. Reports of a detainee injured, one put in isolation, sit-in has begun inside
— xBorder (@xBorderOps)
Six protestors have been arrested
— Lee Rhiannon (@leerhiannon)
Protestors are now being arrested at Villawood
— Lee Rhiannon (@leerhiannon)
Areests commencing of nonviolent protestors at
— Jim Richardson (@jimrhiz)
Time is now. Asylum seekers raise their cuffed hands in the bus. We love you, we support you, we are so sorry.
— Students 4 Refugees (@STOB4Refugees)
Arrests imminent
— Students 4 Refugees (@STOB4Refugees)
in our line of vision. Making some noise to let them know we support them in their resistance.
— Students 4 Refugees (@STOB4Refugees)
Holding the busses.
— Students 4 Refugees (@STOB4Refugees)
Photo reports from Rachel Evans reporting from the blockade for Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly below:
10am: Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon is now here with us!
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10.15am: Please come down and join us if you can. The buses are still inside.
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Lock on!
Not in my name. Refugees are welcome here.
