Refugee protest at Australian Open final

Image
AFP Melbourne
Last Updated : Feb 01 2015 | 6:55 PM IST
Play was held up during the Australian Open men's final on Sunday when a banner was unfurled protesting against the treatment of refugees, with one person jumping on centre court.
Security officials quickly encircled Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray during a changeover in the second set with the Serbian world number one leading 7-6 (7/5), 4-3.
A white banner unfurled over advertising hoardings on the side of the court on Rod Laver Arena read "Australian Open for Refugees #shutdownmanus."
A woman was carried from the court by security officials with at least four others, wearing Australian Open Refugee t-shirts, led from the grandstands before play resumed after five minutes.
Neither player seemed affected by the stoppage.
Several dignitaries were in the crowd, including tennis legends Margaret Court and Rod Laver and Australian Hollywood stars Toni Collette and Eric Bana.
Australia has adopted a hardline policy against asylum-seekers arriving by boat, which has frequently sparked criticism.
Since July 2013 the government has sent boatpeople to camps on Papua New Guinea's Manus Island and Nauru in the Pacific.
They are denied resettlement in Australia even if they are found to be genuine refugees.
The policy is designed to stop the flow of boatpeople heading to Australia, who had been arriving almost daily in often unsafe wooden fishing vessels, with hundreds drowning en route.
Earlier this month, hundreds of asylum-seekers angry at their living conditions on Manus Island and the possibility of being permanently resettled in the Pacific nation went on hunger strike.
Refugee advocates claimed several of them swallowed razor blades and washing powder before the protest was broken after several days.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 01 2015 | 6:55 PM IST

Next Story