About 300 people marched on Villawood Immigration Detention Centre in Sydney's west on April 25 to demand an end to mandatory detention of refugees. The rally was in solidarity with all people caught up in mandatory detention but also offered specific support to the three detainees still up on the roof protesting on the roof of Villawood where they have been for six days without food. One of those on the roof Majid Parhizkar, a 24-year-old Iranian spoke to the crowd via mobile phone. His mother and sister and brother are already in the community and were present at the rally. The photo attached to article by Peter Boyle is of Majid's mother.
Related: Footage of March 1 -- Footage of March 2 -- Footage of rooftop protestor speaking to crowd -- Slideshow of photos -- SBS news coverage
Meanwhile Chris Bowen ALP immigration minister has said he will bring in changes to the migration act to make it easier to deport those detainees who may be convicted of involvement in riots at Villawood and Christmas Island. Twenty Villawood detainees are also being in solitary confinement at Silverwater prison in Sydney but as yet have not been charged over the riots which saw several buildings burnt to the ground in the centre.
