I Was Actually There on ABC and ABC iview S1E5 – A demonstration against indefinite mandatory detention at Woomera detention centre, in the middle of the South Australian desert, attracted more than a thousand concerned citizens from all over the country. “There were church groups, there were greenies, there were queer groups,” recalls one of the organisers, Alex Kelly.
But the protest took an unexpected turn. Enraged activists tore down perimeter fencing in an impromptu action and charged up to the main facility to hold hands with asylum seekers through razor wire. In never-before-seen footage and raw accounts from those at the fence, we witness the emotion felt by those on either side. “It was hard to believe all these people coming there, but when it happened it was more like a miracle,” then asylum seeker Ali Malekizad recalls.
Suddenly, inner fences were also broken, and asylum seekers scattered into the desert. Activists and detainees were forced to ask how far they were willing to go.
“It wasn’t something that we planned to do,” says protester Kav, who made a snap decision to help an escapee, but adds “I don’t regret driving him away from there. I think that’s one of the best things I’ve ever done.”
Once the dust settled, many were left asking what side of history they would fall on. Kav and the man he tried to help escape were soon caught. “I always felt like I let him down and possibly made his situation worse,” he reflects.
“How does your behaviour impact other individuals? You always have to question yourself about that,” says protester Izzy Brown. “I always wonder, did we do the right thing?”
Production credit:
A Docker Media Production for ABC. Created by Kirk Docker, Jon Casimir, Aaron Smith. Director, Kirk Docker. Co-Series Producers, Loni Smith and Josh Schmidt. Line Producer, Megan Nass. ABC Commissioning Editor, Julie Hanna. ABC Head of Factual, Susie Jones.
I Was Actually There on ABC and ABC iview – Tuesday 6 August at 8:00pm
TV Central ABC content HERE
Listen to TV Central podcast with creator Kirk Docker HERE
I Was Actually There on ABC and ABC iview S1E5
