Activists protesting Australia’s treatment of refugees on Manus Island chained themselves to the gates of the Australian High Commission in Wellington, New Zealand, on Monday, November 13.
About 20 activists attended the Monday afternoon protest. Three activists chained themselves to the gate by their necks, and a fourth used an arm lock, Newstalk ZB reported.
Police were called to the scene 3:28pm; the activists unchained themselves and left around 6 pm, but vowed to return, Stuff.co.nz reported.
Peace Action Wellington spokeswoman Emma Cullen told Stuff that the goal was to prevent people inside from leaving the building, and to make them question their government.
“What Australia is doing is inhumane, and that is why we are here locking down the Australian high commission,” she said.
About 420 refugees and asylum seekers remained at the Manus Island detention centre on Papua New Guinea without official sources of food, water or medical attention after it was closed on October 31.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on November 5 repeated her government’s offer to resettle 150 of the asylum-seekers, but Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said Australia would not be taking it up “at this time”. Credit: Twitter/PeaceActionWGTN via Storyful
