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Outraged by Successful Sri Lanka Rally in Melbourne: Demonstrators Attacked

IN MELBOURNE, Australia - Pro-Tamil Tiger supporters became violent and attacked Sinhalese owned shops in the suburbs and attacked at least one Sri Lankan student in the streets injuring his head.

 Outraged by a very successful rally held in front of the Victoria Parliament in Melbourne Australia, to demand that Tamil civilians should be released from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam human shield, pro-LTTE elements became extremely agitated, attacked demonstrators returning home injuring one seriously and attacked Sinhalese owned shops in the suburbs of the city, April 4.

 Eyewitnesses said the violence started when pro-LTTE supporters rode in a fast driven vehicle waving red flags of the ferocious Tiger in the area the demonstration was held and later attacking innocent demonstrators returning home with beer bottles and iron rods on a Melbourne street.

 Later, the pro-LTTE goons travelled to the suburbs and selectively attacked Sinhalese owned shops, who have nothing to do with the demonstration turning the event to a race riot. The shops were attacked in the Melbourne suburbs of Dandenong, Clayton, Doveton and Huntingdale. A Sinhalese university student, profusely bleeding from the attack on his head by the pro-LTTE rioters was admitted to the Royal Melbourne Hospital and hospital authorities said he is out of danger. He remains in the hospital for further tests.

  The police did not permit the pro-LTTE motorcade to enter the area when the peace rally was held on the footsteps of the Victoria parliament. But defying the police orders LTTE vehicles had entered the area breaking peace, provoking demonstrators and later attacking the demonstrators.An eyewitness said the pro-Sri Lankan rally on the footsteps of the parliament where more than 3,000 participated was extremely peaceful. Labour Party MP, Telmo Languiller, who had just returned from Sri Lanka, also addressed the rally and expressed the hope that the Tigers would release the civilians. The peace rally which began at 10.00 a.m. ended at 1.00 p.m. (Courtesy: Daily News)