“FFS Close The Bloody Camps”: Protesters Just Crashed A Big Speech From Malcolm Turnbull
The activists want refugees brought to Australia.
Refugee protesters interrupted Malcolm Turnbull today as he was gearing up to deliver a speech to the Committee for Economic Development of Australia. One protester stormed the stage while holding a sign that read “FFS close the bloody camps”, while others chanted from the audience.
BREAKING: #Refugee Advocates disrupt @TurnbullMalcolm at @ceda_news lunch #CloseTheCamps #CancelTheContracts #auspol pic.twitter.com/ytgMPbHwD0
— WACA (@akaWACA) August 17, 2016
Protestors shake up @TurnbullMalcolm @ceda_news lunch #auspol pic.twitter.com/1m8pEKmWX2 — Lucille Keen (@lucillekeen) August 17, 2016
The protesters were calling for an end to the offshore detention of refugees and specifically demanded that financial contracts between the government and Wilson Security be torn up. Wilson is the primary security contractor on Nauru. Evidence uncovered by The Guardian as part its Nauru Files project has found that the company breached guidelines relating to the reporting of abuse of asylum seekers.
Last month three protesters were arrested in Melbourne after demonstrating outside Wilson Security’s offices. Today’s protesters were quickly escorted out of the building by federal police before the Prime Minister continued with his speech.
Protest over Manus and Nauru disrupts @TurnbullMalcolm speech at the @ceda_news conference in Melbourne #auspol pic.twitter.com/5QY2UEzJTT
— Ellen Whinnett (@ellenwhinnett) August 17, 2016
A group of Christian activists have been staging protests outside the offices of 40 federal MPs this week. The Love Makes A Way Christian movement, like today’s protesters, are calling for asylum seekers to be brought to Australia.