Australia sees first protests ahead of G20 summit

, Nov 10: Protesters are already out on the streets of Brisbane, ahead of the upcoming G20 summit there, media reported on Monday.

About 100 supporters of aboriginal community rights gathered for the "Stop Stealing Our Children" rally Monday morning, the Brisbane Times reported.

The G20 summit is scheduled to be held this month and this was the first in a series of protests organised to coincide with the summit. The protesters said that indigenous children were still being taken from their families, with about 14,000 children living in out-of-home care in Australia.

The protesters called upon the government to entrust indigenous Australians with the responsibility of raising their own children. "How we parent is different and that needs to be acknowledged," a protester said.

About 100 supporters of aboriginal community rights protestsed

"We want control of the care and protection of our families, our children and our communities. We want solid ground to stand on, to raise our children in our cultural way," she was quoted as saying.

Another protester said that the Department of Child Safety too readily removed indigenous children from their families.

The G20 meeting is a rare opportunity to share the story of indigenous Australians with the world, according to Grace Smallwood, a professor who is among the many indigenous Australians who have travelled to Brisbane to take part in the rallies.

IANS