Government News Index
Woomera protests 'aimless': PM
AAP
31mar02
PROTESTS at Woomera were aimless, counter-productive and would only encourage Australians to support the government's policy of mandatory detention for asylum seekers, Prime Minister John Howard said.
About 800 protesters converged on the South Australian detention centre on Friday as part of a campaign against the government's mandatory detention policy.
They broke down a perimeter fence and helped 50 of the centre's inmates escape. Eleven escapees were today still at large.
Mr Howard said he condemned Friday night's violent protest, adding that such actions would only strengthen the government's resolve.
"No amount of demonstration, no series of breaches of the law, is in any way going to alter the government's policy in relation to illegal immigration.
"Our policy will not be intimidated into change by this kind of behaviour.
" ... It's quite aimless, it's quite unproductive, but more serious than that it is dangerous to the safety of police officers."