High School Protest 28 June

In spite of wretched weather, a good number of highschool students and others began assembling across the road from the centre at about 2pm. The police were out in force, and to begin with contented themselves with directing the traffic. After some introductory speakers there was a move across the road, through the carpark and round to the back of the centre, where a cat and mouse game began - every time the mass of protesters gathered together at one spot by the fence, the horses and reinforcements of foot police were brought up to push them away. And so on round the perimeter...

assembling beforehand marching across car park

It soon became clear that at least at this point the police had the numbers and the protesters did not, but eventually protesters turned their attention to the fence around an adjoining paddock - this is apparently also Commonwealth land although not part of the detention centre itself. At any rate the police obviously felt called upon to defend it - even to the point of climbing over it themselves...

police had the numbers police crossing fence

At first only two or three protesters managed to get through, and they were soon brought back, but then there was a much larger breakthrough, though this also ended with everyone being escorted back... For some reason the police were unhappy with the photographer for taking these two photos...

Who did this? - police survey fallen fence escorting people back

There followed a conference, and a general move back to the main fence at the back of the centre, where the assembly announced its determination to stay put and maintain the protest:

end of stage one

Finally, somebody was handing out this little leaflet: the image is signed by 'Kate', so I hope she doesn't mind my reproducing it here:

battery hen
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