Pro-asylum seeker protesters force suspension of Australian parliament
About 30 protesters reached the public gallery of Australia's parliament in a demonstration against the detention of asylum seekers in remote Pacific camps, leading to the suspension of parliament
Security guards hold a protester on the ground as they remove a group from the House of Representatives (Photo: Reuters)
About 30 protesters clashed with security guards at Australia's parliament on Wednesday, some glueing themselves to handrails and shouting "close the camps", in a rowdy demonstration against the detention of asylum seekers in remote Pacific camps.
According to Reuters news agency, the protesters reached the parliamentary public gallery above sitting politicians, which led to Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to be forced to leave the chamber and for parliament to be suspended.
Many protesters were reportedly wrestled to the ground by security and dragged from the chamber.
"We are here today because you have become world leaders in cruelty," one protester shouted, according to local media.
Under Australia's tough border security policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach the country by boat are sent for processing at the camps on Papua New Guinea's Manus island and Nauru in the South Pacific.
Both major Australian political parties support the offshore detention policy, despite garnering widespread criticism by the United Nations and human rights groups, which say the detention amounts to abuse.
