Refugee activists Karoline Morwitzer and Emily Connors, who allegedly interrupted the Australian Open tennis tournament during last year's men's singles final by unfurling a banner demanding the closure of the Manus Island immigration detention centre, have had all charges dismissed.
In the middle of the second set of the final, protesters draped the banner over the court wall. The protest was filmed by television cameras and broadcast around the world.
The banner read 鈥淎ustralia Open for refugees鈥 with the hashtag #shutdownmanus. Morwitzer and Connors, who jumped on court, were arrested, and another four people 鈥 wearing handmade 鈥淎ustralia Open for Refugees鈥 shirts 鈥 were evicted from the match.
The group behind the protest said in a statement: 鈥淲e have created this international media spectacle today to expose the torture, abuse, and horrific conditions that are being perpetrated on Manus Island.
鈥淲e will not be silent. We are drawing a line with this issue. If we allow this to happen, there is no end to what this government is capable of.鈥漈he protest garnered widespread media coverage, and inspired a similar protest at the Cricket World Cup later in the year.
Morwitzer and Connors faced court in Melbourne on April 7, with police alleging they entered a 鈥渟porting competition space鈥 to which they were barred and disrupted proceedings without a 鈥渞easonable excuse鈥.
The pair could have faced heavy fines, but were both handed an unconditional dismissal and avoided a conviction or fine.
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