Assyrian monument wins council support

15 Dec 09 @ 07:45pm

 

Supporters of the monument show their joy at the council decision.

A controversial proposal to build a 4.5m monument to Assyrian victims of genocide has been approved unanimously by Fairfield Council.

Four of the five Assyrian councillors voted in favour of the monument, despite the council receiving a petition with more than 800 signatures against it from the Turkish and wider Fairfield community. One was absent.

No councillors spoke to the proposal, except Liberal councillor Frank Oliveri, who called the decision a show of “bipartisan support’’.

Only 10 people from the Turkish and Assyrian communities were allowed in the chamber during the meeting.

They left soon after the plans were passed.

More than 300 protestors waited outside the meeting, where they were separated by mounted police and riot control officers as the debate over the proposed monument in Bonnyrigg threatened to turn into a race riot.

The Assyrian protestors cheered when they heard the result.