Australian protesters gathered to block the bus carrying members of the Iranian women's national football team, fearing the remaining players might be deported after five had already been granted asylum by Australian authorities amid ongoing violence and war.
Chaos erupted today (10 Mar) outside a hotel in Gold Coast, Australia, when a group of protesters tried to block a white bus with tinted windows, believed to be transporting the Iranian women's national football team from the hotel to Gold Coast Airport. They were heading to Sydney in the evening after completing their participation in the Women’s Asian Cup, facing an uncertain fate in their war-torn homeland.
Prior to the protest, Tony Burke, Australia's Minister for Home Affairs, confirmed that the government had granted asylum to five members of the Iranian women's football team. Federal police escorted them from the hotel to a safe location early this morning (10 Mar) following the athletes' request due to concerns for their personal safety.
Some protesters, wearing red, white, and green—the colors of the Iranian flag—and holding flags from pre-Islamic Revolution Iran, knelt and lay down on the road to block the bus. They shouted calls for the Australian government to intervene and protect the remaining players from being sent back to face violence in Iran. Although the protest temporarily halted the bus, it eventually moved on. It remains unclear if all team members were on board.
Burke stated that the five players are willing to publicly share their images and names to confirm they are not political activists, emphasizing that their asylum requests stem from the unrest in their home country. The Australian government approved humanitarian visas for these athletes after pressure from activist groups, the Iranian community in Australia, and U.S. President Donald Trump, who urged Australia to assist the players.
The Iranian women's football team arrived in Australia in February to compete in the Asian Cup shortly before violent conflict erupted in Iran on 28 February. Before the opening match, the team collectively chose not to sing the national anthem as a symbolic protest, drawing global media attention.
The Iranian team was eliminated from the tournament last weekend, placing the 26 players and coaching staff at risk of deportation to a country plagued by violence and war. However, Tony Burke emphasized that the asylum offer remains open to any team members who wish to seek protection from Australian authorities.
Source: AP