AUSTRALIA: Australians around the country dine in indian restaurant to show their support to the Indian community following recent attacks

Record ID: 345914

  • Title: AUSTRALIA: Australians around the country dine in indian restaurant to show their support to the Indian community following recent attacks
  • Date: 25th February 2010
  • Summary: SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (FEBRUARY 24, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHEF COOKING IN KITCHEN
  • Embargoed: 12th March 2010 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Australia
  • Country: Australia
  • Topics: International Relations,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAD8WJVF8R43OQFYPAZPIBKFNF2
  • Story Text: Australians and local residents dined in Indian restaurants all around the country on Wednesday (February 24) to protest against recent violence targeting the indian community.
    The movement "Vindaloo Against Violence" asks people to show their opposition to the recent attacks on the Indian community by having dinner in an Indian restaurant.
    According to organisers, the movement has attracted more than 16,000 registrations.
    The Victorian police chief commissioner took part in he event in Melbourne and took the opportunity to remind everyone that Australia did not tolerate racism.
    "Racism is wrong, it is not supported, it is not tolerated in this country broadly," Simon Overland said.
    Mia Northrop, a 35-year-old Melbourne resident working as a digital media professional, came up with the idea and started a Facebook event that attracted 100 friends at first.
    She was impressed with the response.
    "People are going to about 400 different restaurants, people have organised workplace lunches," she said.
    In Sydney, the Delhi O Delhi was fully booked for the event and diners where happy to show their support in a relaxed way.
    "I'm here just because I think it's a really fun and informal way of raising a bit of awareness about multiculturalism in Australia , I don't think we need to do it always in a serious way, I think this is a great opportunity for people to have a great meal, enjoy their food and just make a stand," said Sydney resident, Jessy Rollestonpalmer.
    Delhi O Delhi owner, Jabed Khan, liked the idea of "Vindaloo Against Violence" saying that food is a good way to create good relationships.
    "My mother, she always says to win over somebody, the simple and easy way is to go through the stomach, which is like serving good food. And I believe there is always a relation, especially coming from indian culture where the beautiful girls the wives are making and the blokes are enjoying the food. And that's how they are supposed to win the hearts instead of, just like, sitting and chatting, so I believe this is definitely to help out," he said.
    The event organisers have asked the participating restaurants to donate parts of their income for the night to an anti-violence or anti-racism cause.
    The recent attacks are straining the bilateral relations between India and Australia and also causing concern within the Australian government over the damage it might do to the billion-dollar international student industry.
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