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 Green Left 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) April 4, 2014
The transfer of #asylum seekers from Villawood to Curtin as punishment for standing up for their rights is an appalling abuse of power.
— ASRC (@ASRC1) April 3, 2014
This twitter feed has been set up by asylum seekers inside Villawood.
April 3
Video of arrests by Iraj Moghadam.
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 sit-in by refugees has begun inside the Villawood detention centre.
Police broke 7 hr blockade to get buses through. Reports of a detainee injured, one put in isolation, sit-in has begun inside #Villawood
— xBorder (@xBorderOps) April 3, 2014
Six protestors have been arrested pic.twitter.com/cE67md7ieC
— Lee Rhiannon (@leerhiannon) April 3, 2014
Protestors are now being arrested at Villawood pic.twitter.com/RM3MlnWXl4
— Lee Rhiannon (@leerhiannon) April 3, 2014
Areests commencing of nonviolent @STOB4Refugees protestors at #Villawood pic.twitter.com/j1JUPTeoUz
— Jim Richardson (@jimrhiz) April 3, 2014
Time is now. Asylum seekers raise their cuffed hands in the bus. We love you, we support you, we are so sorry. pic.twitter.com/EZq41W9y64
— Students 4 Refugees (@STOB4Refugees) April 2, 2014
Arrests imminent pic.twitter.com/FiZGAAunqk
— Students 4 Refugees (@STOB4Refugees) April 3, 2014
#asylumseekers in our line of vision. Making some noise to let them know we support them in their resistance. pic.twitter.com/vHopCEV4zq
— Students 4 Refugees (@STOB4Refugees) April 2, 2014
Holding the busses. pic.twitter.com/tMeMBo6gl7
— Students 4 Refugees (@STOB4Refugees) April 2, 2014
Photo reports from Rachel Evans reporting from the blockade for Green Left Weekly below:
10am: Greens Senator Lee Rhiannon is now here with us!
10.15am: Please come down and join us if you can. The buses are still inside.
Lock on!
Not in my name. Refugees are welcome here.
