IIBIT

Internatonal Institute of Business & Information Technology by andjotnedin.AJongline ofpeople continuedtoplacebunch after bunch of flowers andLighthundreds ofcandles, continuingwe!Jafter me last speakers,

111..ARusselJ Wortley, Manrneet's cousin from Adelaide, Himanshu Sharma,anda representative of abus company. Channel 7 dida live cross from tl1e garneringand many other mediaoutletswere alsopresent. Apologies were heard from Senator Pe1my Wong and Governor of South Australia Hieu Van Le.

It was curious conoretherewas no representation from the Liberal Party tmtil muchlater intheevening, and nospeeches. When questioneda spokesperson from tl1e organiserssaid,"This is no accident \Vhen acommunity is reelingafter what everyone feels is ahare crime,youcan't stomach hearing from people whosidewith those whomake hate speeches." Referring to meincident of Tony Abbottposing with One1ation Senator Paufu1e Hanson, andMinister for Women MicbaeliaCash huggingHanson after hermaidenspeech in parliament, the organiser said,"These people are the ones whoexacerbate division andparanoia,sono,sorry,weare not going tohavemembers of the Liberal Party heresaying they deplore bate crimes while posingwith the haters. They (the Liberals) can'thave itboth ways.They have towork harder tobring people together and their treatment ofmigrantsascashcows is currentlydeplorable."

The tenor of the gatheringwaspeaceful, dignifiedandorganised. People srayedon afterwards for some time;toweep, talk and supporteach other.

After everyone badgone, d1e candles and flowers andphotos andmessages remained. Some hours later,the candles stiU burnt brightly in the coldnight and passers-by stoppedtoreflect. A homeless manhad set uphis bed next tothe warmth of the fire;orperhaps it was rhewarmtl1 ofan outpouringoflove in aharsh wo.rld.

Frankey Gerard Fernandes