About two or three thousand people initially gathered at the State Library to hear speakers and decorate hearts handed out by members of the Refugee Action Collective and others. As the subsequent march moved down Swanston Street to join another rally at Federation Square sponsored by the church groups numbers began to grow, reaching an estimated five to six thousand eventually.

Representatives of the Eritrean community were prominent – including children with a message

Tumbarumba drummers led the march

The march was met at Flinders Street by two enormous puppets

At Federation Square the ‘Sea of Hearts’ united with the ‘Sea of Hands’