"Say it loud, say it clear! Racists are not welcome here!" chanted protesters at the steps of Federation Square in Melbourne on June 10.
The rally was organised in solidarity with Indian international students, who have faced further attacks by brutal racists after a 5000-strong anti-racism protest in Melbourne on May 31.
More than 60 students and workers — from Resistance, the Socialist Alliance, Socialist Alternative, student unions and members of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) — demanded an end to the racist attacks on Indian students.
They also called for police to drop the charges against protesters at the May 31 rally; for 24-hour staffing and security of train stations and for affordable, on-campus accommodation for international students.
International students and a TWU representative spoke of their experiences of racial vilification at the hands of other students, educational institutions, employers and the police.
Neeraj Kumar was one of the Indian students who addressed the crowd. He said universities should be ashamed of their treatment of international students — milking them for money while providing inadequate services.
"Why do they bring Indians here?" Kumar asked. "Is it only for the money? If so, this is shameful."
He called for a united response to the vicious attacks. "All anti-racists should come forward to build harmony."
In Sydney, hundreds of Indian students protested on the nights of June 8 and 9 in the suburb of Harris Park to denounce repeated racist attacks and police indifference.
Sumit Purdani, a member of the Sydney chapter of the Federation of Indian Students of Australia, told Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly the protests were in response to a long history of racist attacks and abuse directed at Indian students.
Many Indians have been assaulted near Harris Park train station. "In a place like Harris Park as soon as the train stops, you start running," he said.
Purdani said racism from the police was also a problem for Indian students.
"This is not just about Indian students, it's a campaign against racism," Purdani said.
Indian students, with the support of the NSW Cross Campus Concessions Coalition, have launched a petition campaign calling on the state government to act against racism. The petition will be presented to politicians at a rally outside the NSW state parliament on September 2.
A protest in support of international students confronted deputy PM Julia Gillard at the University of Sydney on June 10.
Gillard, who was launching the university's new social inclusion unit, came out to speak to the protesters. She refused, however, to describe the spate of attacks on Indian students as racist.