Indian students holding a rally in front of Victorian Parliament in protest against recent violence — Photo courtesy South Asia Times
“At about five am on Monday morning, around a hundred police assembled and proceeded to violently attack the remaining protestors who stayed peacefully in the intersection outside Flinders St Station until late into the night. The protestors were sitting on the ground with arms linked. Rather than prising the students loose, the police mounted a vicious assault. I witnessed police officers stomp on a student’s chest, other police officers repeatedly punched students in the face. A sitting protestor was knocked unconscious by repeated punches to the head by a policeman. At least one baton was drawn and used to smash a protestor’s legs, while the front row of students was threatened with capsicum spray, an eyewitness to the incident Mr David Ridgewell, president of Swinburne University Student Union said.
“Students were asking for nothing more than basic safety”, continued Mr Ridgwell. “We were asking for staff on trains, more residential accomodation on campus, a community education program to challenge the racism that international students face. Instead of having their legitimate demands addressed, students have been treated to yet another brutal assault — this time from Victoria police.”
Mr Ridgwell called on trade unions and others in the community to rally behind the Indian students. “Politicians have been stirring up racism against refugees, Muslims and Aboriginal people for years. Now Indian students are paying the price. This is the time to take a public stand against the scourge of racism.”
The Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland addressed the students, but failed to redress the students’ concerns in any meaningful way.
“We have made a number of arrests this week and we will continue to work harder,” Overland said. “We know we need to make security improvements. We will continue to work and I am happy to meet with a delegation from this group (protestors) this week,” he said.
Mr. Overland also defended action to disperse protesters, who refused to move from one of the busiest streets of Melbourne till early this morning, saying the police was “entirely justified” in using force to break up the protest.
“Violence is not OK… racism is not OK. I have come here because I understand your concerns… you have made your point. We need to work together
on this issue… but now I ask you to go home,” he told the protestors.
Mr. Overland said there was some force used after students were given the opportunity to leave and they refused to do so.
About 18 youths were detained for allegedly “breaching peace” during the rally as protestors accused the police of “ramrodding” them to break up their sit-in.
“Bharat mata ki jai” slogan ranted the air in Melbourne when over 5,000 strong Indian students and community members held a rally at the call of Federation of Indian Students in Australia to create awareness about an increasing number of hate crimes within the state (of Victoria) and to promote racial harmony and peace.
But the peaceful rally by over 5,000 Indian students turned violent when a group of Australian youngsters reportedly raised slogans about Australia in the rally.
Police had to intervene to control the situation. Later, however, two Indian students were arrested after they clashed with police. Reportedly, students broke windows and hurled Indian flag on Melbourne historic Flinders Street station and a clock tower. The arrests have not been confirmed by the Indian Consulate General Anita Nayar.
An earlier report said the protest rally, began at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Parkville, where injured Indian student Shravan Kumar Theerthala, 25, is battling for his life after being stabbed with a screwdriver last weekend.
The demonstration then moved to the intersection outside the station where, witnesses said, the protesters threw shoes, water bottles and other objects at the station’s clocks, breaking stained glass windows above the entrance, when police tried to break up the sit-in.
A 22-year-old man from St Albans was arrested and charged with criminal damage and riotous behaviour.
The students carried banners demanding end to racial attacks on Indian students. Candles were also lit on the steps of the Victorian Parliament by the protesters. The rally was addressed by FISA and other leaders. The founder of FISA Mr. Gautam Gupta said we believe in ‘Gandhigiri’” and peaceful ways to present the demands of the student community.
The rally demanded a multicultural police force for Victoria, an advertising campaign to highlight the contribution of International students to the Australian economy, insurance policy for students covering ambulance, accidents and assaults, increased police vigil at ‘high risk zones’, adequate accommodation for all international students and funding for the ‘FISA International Student Integration Program”.
The peaceful rally at the Parliament House later ended with a pledge to continue the struggle against racist attacks and to create harmony in Australian society.
Meanwhile, according to Australian Associated Press, mindful of the potential for diplomatic trouble, both Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Prime Minister Kevin Rudd have spoken to their counterparts in India.
Foreign Minister Stephen Smith says Australia is doing everything it can to prevent further attacks on Indian students. “We have a particular current problem with Indian students,” Mr Smith told Network Ten.
“We’re doing everything that we can, both with the Indian community in Australia and India itself … but also working very closely with the relevant state authorities.”
Mr Smith said Australia was trying to bring the attackers to justice and ensure a safe environment for all international students. Australia generally had low crime and violence rates, he said.
The violence has made headlines across India and internationally, creating potential problems for Australia’s $15.5 billion education export market.
Penny Wong, Federal Climate Change Minister said on the whole, Australians are tolerant. “It is a minority of people in Australia who hold those sorts of extreme and intolerant views.”
In a related development, Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan is threatening to turn down an honorary degree from a Brisbane university in protest against the wave of attacks.
“My conscience does not permit me to accept this decoration from a country that perpetrates such indignity to my fellow countrymen,” Mr Bachchan’s latest blog post said.
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June 6th, 2009 at 4:12 am
Issue of attack on Indian students has been twisted and turned into motivated theme story by the Indian media to benefit fake local colleges in India during coming admission season.
for details and insight visit:
http://hindusthan.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
January 27th, 2010 at 7:03 pm
The latest attack on indian students were carried out by asian gang,we must stop blaming australia for these attcks.Most attcks are carried out by african and lebanese gang.
September 22nd, 2010 at 1:44 am
hallo, i´m from germany so my english is not that impressive. Please dont blame me. I read blogs to make my english better and say that your blog was perfect readable for me, because the english is really clear-thinking and all the posts are perfect readable. I will keep on reading it, to improve my english even more. Thanks a lot