We will continue asking to release kids in detention
December 11 2014,
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#‎LoveMakesAWay‬ movement holds national day of action in MPs’ offices calling for ALL detained children to be released into the community – 53 Christian leaders arrested or forcibly removed from MP offices – Perth leaders – including a mother who was praying with her infant – strip-searched before being charged
UPDATE: 53 Christians have been arrested or forcibly removed from the electorate offices of Government MPs across Australia today after holding peaceful prayer vigil sit-ins calling on the Government to release detained asylum-seeker children into the community.
Most of those involved in the sit-ins were arrested and released without charge. However, those praying in Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s Perth office – including a mother who had been praying with her young infant – were arrested, strip-searched, and then charged with trespass.
“While we are disappointed that a group of Christians who had been praying peacefully for 8 hours in the one spot were suddenly being strip-searched for drugs and weapons, this indignity is nothing compared to the horrors faced on a daily basis by the children and families that our nation holds in offshore detention centres,” said Love Makes A Way’s national spokesperson Kate Leaney.
“We appeal to Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, as a committed Christian, that he might have a change of heart and release into the Australian community, with their families, the 25 babies born on Australian soil who are at risk of being sent to offshore detention in Nauru, and the 167 children currently in Nauru itself.”
Today’s sit-ins took place in:
Immigration Minister Scott Morrison’s Sydney office (9 arrests, released without charge).
Attorney-General George Brandis’s Brisbane office (5 arrests, released without charge)
Senator Zed Seselja’s Canberra office (5 arrests, released without charge).
Jamie Briggs’ Adelaide office (5 arrested, formally charged with trespass).
Josh Frydenberg’s Melbourne office (10 people forcibly removed, released without charge).
Kelly O’Dwyer’s Melbourne offices (11 people forcibly removed, released without charge).
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop’s office (8 arrests, strip-searched, formally charged with trespass).
Today’s nationwide action received public support on social media from Labor Senator for Western Australia Sue Lines, Federal Labor Member for Fremantle Melissa Parke, the Federal Greens Member for Melbourne Adam Bandt and Greens Senator for South Australia Sarah Hanson-Young.
Today’s peaceful action of more than 50 church-goers was in response to reports that the Government is planning to send 25 babies — who were born on Australia soil to families seeking safety — to the Nauru detention centre. These Christian leaders come from the full breadth of the Australian church (including Pentecostal, Presbyterian, Baptist, Anglican and others).
The Christian leaders were committed to remaining in the MPs’ offices until the Government publicly promised that no children will be detained offshore, and that all asylum-seeker children will be released into the Australian community with their families.
“Despite Mr Morrison’s claim that if his amendments to the Migration Act passed Parliament he would release all children from Australian detention centres, his very first act after the Bill was passed was to move 25 precious babies in preparation for sending them to offshore detention in Nauru,” said Ms Leaney. “This is not only cruel, it is a contradiction of the Immigration Minister’s own words.”
“At Christmas, how can we celebrate the birth of Jesus who quickly became a refugee fleeing persecution and not speak out for these 25 babies whose families have also fled persecution?
“Today we call on the Government to make a public commitment that no child will be imprisoned offshore. Mr Morrison, these 25 babies born on Australian soil and the 167 children currently in Nauru must be released into the community with their families,” said Ms Leaney.
Preparations to transfer the babies are reportedly underway despite a deal made between Immigration Minister Scott Morrison and Senate crossbenchers that guaranteed children in Australian detention centres would be released. In August, while facing an inquiry into child detention, Mr Morrison said: “Nobody, and especially nobody in this Government, wants to see children in detention if it can be avoided.”
Refugee and health experts, including from the UN, Amnesty International and the Australian Medical Association, have roundly condemned Australia’s detention regime. The Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce referred to child detention as “state-sanctioned child abuse”.
Australian churches have been united in their opposition to the Government’s asylum-seeker policies, particularly child detention.
Today’s sit-ins are part of the ongoing Christian movement called “Love Makes a Way”. Since the first sit-in at Scott Morrison’s office in March this year, more than 100 Christian leaders have been peacefully arrested (and praised for their conduct by magistrates) as part of #LoveMakesAWay actions calling on the Government to adopt a compassionate approach to asylum-seekers. After today’s actions, that number has dramatically increased, and is likely to increase further until Government policy is changed.

PHOTOS: https://www.flickr.com/…/lov…/collections/72157649266543690/