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Asylum seekers riots escalate in Australia

Saturday, 19 March 2011


SYDNEY, Mar 18 : Protests by angry asylum seekers escalated at an Australian detention centre with rioters setting fire to buildings and police responding with tear gas and bean-bag bullets, officials said Friday. A group of around 250-300 detainees on Christmas Island ran amok, hurling bricks and lighting fires late Thursday, forcing the Australian Federal Police to intervene, the Department of Immigration said. -AFP