Thousands of people across Australia turned out today to protest the decision of the West Australian government to cull sharks in the seas surrounding Perth. Protest rallies around Australia were scheduled to happen at staggered times across the country so that each state would be protesting at the same time.
Despite the heat of the day, protesters in Melbourne braved the sun to gather on the steps of the State Library of Victoria. Nationwide, an estimated 6,000 protesters gathered at Cottesloe Beach in WA (1) Manly Beach in NSW (2), Glenelg in South Australia (3) and other locations across the country.
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| In Melbourne protesters gathered at the State Library of Victoria |
When Colin Barnett, the premier of WA, launched his policy to catch and kill large sharks he most likely did not expect the enormous national and international backlash his policy would cause. Armed with banners and decked out in all manner of shark related attire, protesters sent a clear message to the Barnett government - stop killing our sharks!
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Protesters proudly displayed
homemade banners |
Guest speakers at the rally included shark conservation groups such as Fin Free Melbourne, zoology and genetics major Safia Maher, fisherman Rob Embury, and Shark Defence Australia President Jordan Crooka. The message was clear - the cull has no support from the scientific community or the army of surfers, scuba divers and water users who had turned out to protest Barnett's policy.
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| Fisherman Rob Embury spoke up against the cull |
The rally finished with a march from the State Library to Flinders Street Station. It was heartening to see the crowds marching down Swanson Street cheering "Save our Sharks" and "We don't want your bloody bait!" as a message to the Barnett government to find another way to protect beaches. It was a true tour de force of Australians standing up for their wildlife. Onlookers in the city had their smartphones out and were taking pictures of the protest as it made its way to Flinders Street.
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| That's the way to dress for a ride! |
With so many people gathered nationally to protest this policy it feels as though Colin Barnett is the last man standing who supports the cull. It is hard to imagine that he can continue to stand by and keep his hooks in the water when their is such immense pressure from his countrymen to stop the slaughter.
1) http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/21207700/wa-shark-cull-thousands-gather-at-cottesloe-beach-as-catch-and-kill-protests-ramp-up/
2) http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/thousands-protest-wa-shark-cull-at-manly-beach-20140201-31tiy.html
3) http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/at-glenelg-and-beachside-suburbs-around-australia-thousands-of-people-protest-controversial-western-australia-shark-cull/story-fni6uo1m-1226815605616
