Thousands across Australia to protest deportation of asylum seekers

Thousands of people nationwide are expected to gather to protest the deportation of asylum seekers from Australia to offshore processing centres next Sunday, March 20.

The protest, dubbed Palm Sunday, is being organised by the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) and will happen in major centres all over Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide.

Pamela Curr, a campaign coordinator at the ASRC, told International Business Times Australia the protests are in support of three main goals.

“We’re asking for three things. Freedom for refugees, the closure of offshore detention camps and permanent protection for refugees,” Curr said.

According to the ASRC, the group has received over 80,000 signatures on a petition asking the Australian government to stop the deportation of 267 refugees living in Australia to detention centres in Naura and Manus Island.

“How can Australia be putting people in these situations? We’re living in a failed state,” Curr continued.

The issue of refugees being sent to offshore detention centres like Nauru and Manus Island have come back into the public eye this week following the release of a trailer for an upcoming controversial documentary.

On Channel Ten's "The Project" this week, Academy Award-winning filmmaker Eva Orner premiered the trailer for her documentary," Chasing Asylum", which reportedly shows the living conditions of asylum seekers who are being held at Naura and Manus Island.

Curr says the documentary is important for shedding light on refugees' rights.

“This is so needed, as you know, journalists can’t visit off shore detention centres.”

According to the Department of Immigration and Border Protection, there were 484 asylum seekers held in detention in Nauru as of Jan. 31, 2016, 54 of whom are children.

The same report indicates another 916 adult asylum seekers are being detained at Manus Island.

The Sydney Palm Sunday rally will take place in Belmore Park near Central station.