A protest camp sprung up on December 14 outside the Mantra Hotel in Preston, drawing at least 200 people to try and prevent the detainees from being removed. They are calling on the federal government not to move the men, but to free them.

About 60 men have been detained at the Mantra Bell City hotel in Bell Street, Preston for 16 months. They were bought to Australia from off-shore detention on Manus Island to receive medical treatment under the now-repealed medevac law.

Manus To Mantra, Campaign against Racism and Fascism and Refugee Action Collective (Victoria).]