MORE THAN 400 people gathered in Perth yesterday for the Palm Sunday ‘Walk For Justice For Refugees’, calling for “compassion, not punishment” for refugees.
The rally was endorsed by an alliance of more than 25 organisations, including the Uniting Church, Red Cross, Amnesty International, Unions WA and the Refugee Rights Action Network.
Reverend Sealin Garlett delivered the Welcome To Country.
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READ NOWIranian academic and poet Arad Nik addressed the crowd.
Mr Nik lost his job and was imprisoned twice by the Iranian government because of his advocacy of human rights.
He came to Australia by boat and was granted asylum.
Father Chris Bedding hosted the event, and told the crowd that “slowly but surely, we are building a movement that will end the disgusting policies that have characterised our country for too many decades”.
Many attendees carried palms to acknowledge the holy day, and some people in traditional Middle Eastern attire walked with donkeys carrying the statement: “Jesus Was A Refugee”.