Eighteen Afghani refugees who now reside in Swan Hill headed to Melbourne on Sunday for the annual Walk for Justice.
The Hazara and Pashto men represented the Swan Hill Uniting Church’s Community Issues Group and were joined by thousands of other refugee advocates.
Each year the march aims to put pressure on the federal government to release refugees held at Nauru and Manus Island.
Group convener Jill Pattenden said Sunday’s torrential rain didn’t deter them from walking for the cause.
“The forecast was for storms so less people definitely turned up this year,” Ms Pattenden said.
“But there would have still been close to 10,000 people.”
The Swan Hill Community Issues Group was one of 200 groups who participated in the walk.
The group travelled to Melbourne by train on Sunday morning.
They joined fellow Uniting Church members from around the state before heading to the State Library.
Roads were blocked off and police were present as the crowd marched from the library down Swanston, Bourke and Elizabeth Streets, before making their way to the steps of Parliament House.
“We heard several speakers including Nazir Yousafi, an Afghani man who told the stories of persecution of the Hazara People,” Ms Pattenden said.
“It was good for the men to hear that they were recognised as persecuted people.”
Members of the group have participated in the march for four years.
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