The steps near Royal Park were covered in chalk and people protesting against Australia’s treatment of asylum seekers on Saturday.
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About 70 people gathered for a peaceful, morning protest organised by Safe Asylum, mirroring other events held across the country.
Safe Asylum co-organiser Christina Booth said they weren’t asking for Australia to drop its security, but instead to allow asylum seekers to be processed in the country.
She asked for “honesty and to stop politicising the issue, it’s an issue of compassion”.
“We don’t want security to be lax,” Ms Booth said.
Organisers hoped more people would turn up, but Ms Booth said it was arranged in two days because the issue could not wait.
Safe Asylum meets every third Wednesday at the Royal Oak at 6pm.