Historical information
Plans by the Federal Government to temporarily settle 120 Christian Syrian refugees at the St Vincents facility in Diamond Street (Judge Book Village) brought out national protest by far right groups, many travelling intersate to demonstarte in Eltham against the settlement. Many locals stood up against these protesters, forming Welcome to Eltham, symbolised by the (Eltham Copper) butterfly. The planned demonstartion by the far right was deflated by over 200 locals turning up and peacefully supporting the refugees with butterflies placed throughout parks, paths and roadways.
This butterfly was later relocated to the Judge Book Village
Physical description
1 image - born digital
Subjects
References
- Battle for Eltham: Welcoming butterflies a background to anti-refugee protests
- Eltham refugee rally: Scores turn out to support Syrian refugees being resettled About 200 people have gathered at Eltham in Melbourne's north in support of a group of Syrian refugees who will be resettled in the area in the coming weeks. Up to 120 Syrian refugees will be given accommodation in a disused section of St Vincent's Health, an aged care facility in Eltham, as part of the Federal Government's one-off humanitarian intake of 12,000 Syrian and Iraqi refugees. Supporters on Saturday held signs saying "welcome refugees" as the group marched through Eltham and rallied outside the aged care facility.
