Melbourne Stands for Sanctuary

This Monday night at the State Library, people in Melbourne will stand for sanctuary and call on the government to not deport 267 people seeking asylum. Will you be there? 

In breaking news, Premier Daniel Andrews has just offered the entire state of Victoria as a sanctuary for the 267 people Malcolm Turnbull wants to deport to Nauru. It's a proud day to be a Victorian. 

This act of moral leadership comes just days after churches around Australia boldly offered sanctuary within their walls to these people. A true act of compassion and political defiance. 

And State Premiers and churches aren't the only institutions facing off against the government. Over the last three days, hospitals, doctors and teachers have all stood up against our government, who are still set to deport these people to hell on earth. 

This swell of civil defiance is momentous and powerful. But for it to to work, we as community members need to back them up. 

On Monday night, tens of thousands of people will stand up across Australia to demand the government keeps these 267 children, men and women safe in Australia. We'll stand for sanctuary and demand the government let them stay. Will you be there? 

What: Melbourne Stands for Sanctuary – rally to #letthemstay 
Where: Melbourne State Library 
When: Monday 8th February 
Time: 6pm - 7.30pm 
Who: Speakers will include faith leaders, doctors, former refugees and former detention centre staff. 
Bring: A sign that says Let Them Stay 
Click here to RSVP and invite your friends and family 

This Monday is our chance to stand with the courageous faith leaders, doctors, teachers and lawyers who risk personal penalty for standing in the way of heinously immoral government policy by fighting for these people's protection. 

Among them are paediatricians - who are refusing to discharge their young patients, on the grounds that Nauru is so hellish a place to send a child that it would breach their duty of care to do so. 

Others are teachers to some of the 50 school-aged children set to be deported – who have reached out to advocates, asking how they too can act to keep their students in their classroom, not dragged back to detention camps. 

And in spite of this incredible groundswell of defiance, the government still appears ready to put these vulnerable men, women and kids on planes to hell on earth. A huge public mobilisation backing in the courageous civil disobedience from our churches, schools and hospitals is our best bet to stop that happening. 

Let's show that Australians stand for sanctuary. See you there? 

Shen, Sally, Aurora and Alycia for the GetUp team 

PS – In the lead up to Monday, many are taking to social media to share photos of the word "sanctuary" written with chalk or on a sign at the front of their houses. If you'd like to join this beautiful online movement, share your own photo using the hashtag #letthemstay and explain why you stand for sanctuary. Check out some of the photos below: