MelbourneProtests Weblog

This site is a continuation of Melbourne Protests - http://melbourneprotests.bravehost.com/index.html - the name pretty much self-explanatory …

Waitangi Day, 6 February 2008 February 11, 2008

Filed under: Uncategorized — melbourneprotests @ 3:17 am
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Outside the consulate

Representatives and supports of Indigenous peoples across the Pacific gathered outside the Aotearoa/NZ Consulate in Melbourne on 6 February as part of an international protest. In addition to speakers from Aotearoa a statement from the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was read by a representative of ISJA (Indigenous Social Justice Association) and Krautungalung elder Robbie Thorpe spoke. Others included Nick Chesterfield, long-term campaigner for Indigenous rights in the Pacific, and Marisol Salinas, who delivered a message of solidarity on behalf of the Mapuche people of Chile.
Video of this event on YouTube in three parts:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TAta4458Eg

There is a full report with photographs on Whenua, Fenua, Enua, Vanua - http://uriohau.blogspot.com/2008/02/waitangi-day-kulin-nations-08.html
See also Aotearoa IMC -
http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/74878/index.php
http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/74877/index.php

 

Big Day Out Against Racism - 17 November November 19, 2007

Filed under: Uncategorized — melbourneprotests @ 12:43 am
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At the State Library

A few photos from the Melbourne rally and march which preceded a community festival in support of African communities in Australia - see http://www.racismno.org. Speakers at the State Library included representatives of the African communities - who also provided the music - as well as Greens candidate Adam Bandt and Western Suburbs Open Family youth worker Les Twentyman …

Here is the text of the callout:

November 17 - Big Day Out Against Racism

The Western suburbs Community Festival in support of African communities in Australia has joined forces with the March for Multiculturalism.

Both events will now happen on Saturday November 17.
…
The MARCH will start at 1pm at the State Library and participants will then invited to attend the Festival in Footscray, starting 4pm.
…

Festival performers include: The Conch, Ajak Kwai, Busted Onions, The Brothahood, Lorazi Red, Valanga Khoza, King Marong & more.

The two events will be a combined show of support for the African-Australian community.

Come and celebrate our multiculturalism and support the African-Australian community!

We reject the Federal Government’s attempt to isolate and marginalise the African community in Australia, and its targeting of the Sudanese community in particular.

We welcome African migrants and refugees and celebrate their valuable contributions to our community. Come and celebrate our multiculturalism and support the African-Australian community!

Together we can stand in solidarity and friendship.

Organisers of the March for Multiculturalism
Organisers of the Racism No Community Festival

One of African community speakers

Les Twentyman

On the march

More Greens on the march

Refugee Action Collective

Melbourne Anarchist Communist Group and others

 

Protest at NZ Consulate - Solidarity with 15 Oct arrestees October 18, 2007

Filed under: Uncategorized — melbourneprotests @ 6:19 am
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Placard outside the Consulate

The street theatre may have looked light-hearted, but there was anger as well as mockery in the air outside the building housing the NZ Consulate in Melbourne. Speakers condemned the arrests and intimidation of activists in Aotearoa, while the ‘air attack’ on the building highlighted the absurdity of the terrorism charges. There is a report with pictures at
http://indymedia.org.nz/newswire/display/73864/index.php.
For up-to-date coverage of the events see
http://indymedia.org.nz/feature/display/71723/index.php
and other postings on the Aotearoa Indymedia site.
See also http://uriohau.blogspot.com/

There is video of this protest on EngageMedia -
http://www.engagemedia.org/Members/pc/videos/16oct-nz-small.avi/view