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Krysia Heron and Kelsey Minto are concerned about violence women might face in detention. They were among a crowd of more than 5,000 gathered outside the State Library of Victoria in Melbourne to protest against the potential removal of 267 asylum seekers currently living in Australia, including 37 babies that were born here.

Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) Kelsey Minto and Krysia Heron: We oppose the unnecessary harm and trauma these children will suffer. #LetThemStay pic.twitter.com/nCUBanO1BE

“I oppose the unnecessarily harm and trauma that these children and their parents will suffer,” Heron said. “I believe that Australia has the systems in place to look after these children.”

The protest is even larger than the one that blocked Melbourne streets on Thursday, a day after the high court decision. It’s also more organised – there’s a PA and an Auslan interpreter.

'Yes and yes': Australian Capital Territory signals it will accept asylum seekers awaiting removal to Nauru Read more

Daniel Webb from the Human Rights Law Centre, who led the high court challenge, told the crowd his clients knew of the support they had in the community. A later mention of premier Daniel Andrews’s offer to let the 267 asylum seekers stay in Victoria got a rousing applause.



Heron told Guardian Australia she was impressed by Andrews’s statement but didn’t know what it meant.

“I thought it was really fantastic, I liked what he wrote in the letter, but I am unsure of how influential it will be and what weight will be put to it,” she said.

Toni Simioni agreed. I think if there’s the option of letting them stay in Victoria, I think a lot of people would support that,” she said. “Whether it will work I don’t know, but I think pressure has to come from all angles.”

None of these three women attended last week’s rally, but all have protested on behalf of asylum seekers before. “These children, and I think all asylum seekers, should stay in Australia,” Simioni said.