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International Day of Protest in Sydney, Australia |
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Reports of International Protest day from across the world
Sydney, Australia
In very wet and cold weather conditions, between 200 and 250 people turned up today, Saturday July 15th, to the International Day of protest outside Sydney Town Hall calling for the Closure of Guantanamo and the repatriation of Australian David Hicks
Many demonstrators were wearing atleast one piece of orange clothing.
There were Orange balloons all around the Town Hall saying Bring Hicks
Home.
The event was opened by a welcome to country by an Aboriginal performer, Jacqueline Extreme.
This was followed by Ego Lamos, a Timor Leste singer and environmental campaigner.
Speakers included Mamdouh Habib, former Guantanamo prisoner; Brett
Collins from Justice Action; Andrew Ferguson, from the CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Mining Union) a major trade Union in Australia; Anna Samson from Sydney Stop the War Coalition; and Raul Bassi from the Canterbury-Bankstown Peace Group, Justice for Hicks & Habib campaign all calling for the closure of Guantanamo, the repatriation of David, and spelling out the injustices committed by the US Administration and also by the Australian Government.
The demonstration was supported by many organisations, including: Fair Go for David; Justice Action; NSW Council for Civil Liberties; Amnesty International; the CFMEU;
Sydney Stop the War Coalition; Pennant Hills Peace Group;
Marrickville Peace Group; Western Sydney Peace Group; Parramatta Peace Group; Newtown Peace Group; the Greens; Socialist Alliance; and a number of legal professionals and human rights activists and campaigners.
Also the team assisting with the promotion of Honour Bound, a play
produced by Nigel Jamieson focusing on the experiences of Terry Hicks and his son David, were there supporting our campaign and promoting this play which will confront us with the suffering of those at Guantanamo.
The CFMEU has gathered the support of many groups, organisations and individuals, on a statement calling for the repatriation of David
Hicks and the closure of Guantanamo which will be placed in the corporate press, costing them in the vecinity of 25,000 pounds! So we have been asked to be present next week when the ad./statement will be launched.
The Sydney demonstrators sent a message of support to the UK Guantanamo Coalition organising a demonstration in London. The message stated "May you have a great event as we did and may you receive the encouragement to continue in the struggle to Close Guantanamo and bring justice to the prisoners there and to the thousands held in limbo all around the world by or at the
behest of the US Administration.There is light at the end of the tunnel. Justice will be done; justice must be done."
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The National Coalition