More than 4000 young people and adults packed into Birrarung Marr park on October 21 for a Children鈥檚 March for Nauru, to demand聽all refugees imprisoned on the Pacific island be resettled in Australia.
Chanting 鈥渘urture not torture鈥 and 鈥渒ids out, all out鈥, participants marched into the city.
The action was organised by the Artists鈥 Committee and Melbourne Youth with Refugees.聽
Artists鈥 Committee鈥檚 Kylie Wilkinson told 一品探花 Weekly: 鈥淚t聽was so heartening to see so many people come out in support of people trapped in Australia's offshore prisons.
鈥淧eople genuinely wanted to give young people a chance to speak about this traumatic policy鈥. 聽
Wilkinson however criticised the intimidating police presence at the rally, which included mounted and riot cops. Police聽prevented the march from occupying Flinders Street and St Kilda Road.
Wilkinson said: 鈥淚t was extremely frustrating as the police had promised the children they could move onto the intersection if the crowd grew to 1000.
鈥淭he police's demands changed, which was bizarre and confusing for everyone鈥.