Protesters close off Main St despite court application

Hundreds of protesters closed off Main St at Kangaroo Point during a rally supporting asylum seekers who are being held in a nearby hotel, despite police successfully making an application to court for the rally to stick to side streets.

PROTESTERS closed off Main St at Kangaroo Point on Sunday during a rally supporting asylum seekers who are being held in a nearby hotel, despite police successfully making an application to court for the rally to stick to side streets.

One person was arrested at the protest site about 5.30pm, which had earlier been described as peaceful.

About 1000 protesters gathered at Raymond Park, behind the Pineapple Hotel, earlier in the afternoon about 200m from where 120 men are being detained at Kangaroo Point Central Hotel.

They then marched to the hotel demanding the release of the asylum seekers.

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After being addressed by organisers as they sat peacefully in the park, protesters marched en masse to the hotel chanting, “free, free the refugees” and “no hate, no fear, refugees are welcome here.” It follows more than a week of protests at the site, which at times have turned ugly, with activists accused of fighting, screaming and jumping on parked cars.

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Sunday’s demonstration was earlier described as peaceful although one person was arrested about 5.30pm and taken to the city watch-house. Police would not confirm what the arrest was for.

The rally was limited to two hours after police successfully applied to a Brisbane court last week to place a time constraint on the rally to limit disruption to traffic and local residents.

The application was also for protesters to stick to two side streets and not on Main St - a main arterial road near the CBD - but Sunday’s crowd at one point marched on Main St and sat on the road, shutting it down.

Police line Main St to keep it clear of protesters. Picture: Richard Walker

Main St appeared clear of protesters by 5pm but remained closed at 6pm. It had reopened by 7pm.

Supporters have been camping outside the hotel and sometimes in the rain for more than a week to stop the men being relocated elsewhere.

Earlier this week, Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge said there were about 100 men detained at the complex and those determined to be refugees could resettle outside of Australia.

Protesters march down Main St. Picture: Richard Walker

“They decide for themselves if they want to fully settle in PNG, in Nauru,” Mr Tudge said.

“If they haven’t got a refugee determination status they can return to their home country or indeed to return to the United States if that option is available to them.”

A police spokesman said there had been no arrests at Sunday’s protest.

Protesters near the hotel where asylum seekers are being held in Kangaroo Point. Picture: Richard Walker

Brisbane Greens Councillor Jonathan Sri attended Sunday’s rally – a week after he was arrested at the site. He said he was charged with one count of contravening a direction of an officer but last week said police withdrew the charge. He has since demanded an apology from Queensland Police.

About 500 protesters are on Main Street, Kangaroo Point.. fighting the detention of asylum seekers at the Kangaroo Point Central Hotel @7NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/8RwpHWnoqb

— Isabelle Mullen (@ijmullen) June 21, 2020