Protest in Sydney against Australia’s involvement in Deir Ezzor massacre 20 September 2016 Events 3996 WHEN: RALLY on Saturday, 24th of September, at 1.30pm WHERE: Martin Place, outside the MLC centre HANDS OFF SYRIA SYDNEY strongly condemns the recent massacre of at least 62 Syrian soldiers (and another 100 wounded) in Deir al Zour, Syria US and Australian governments have admitted that the soldiers were killed on the 17th of September by a joint operation carried out by the US air force in collusion with the Australian military. The martyred Syrian soldiers were guarding a military fortification used as a base for repelling attacks by the Islamic State death-squads who completely surround the city. People across the world are finding it extremely hard to believe that this attack was a “mistake” or an “accident”. Why? Because these actions are entirely consistent with US-led attempts to topple the Syrian government by covertly (or in this case overtly) supporting their enemies – these policies have resurrected Al Qaeda and its offshoots like ISIS. Whether the massacre was ‘accidental’ or deliberate should be determined by an independent war crimes tribunal. Assertion by the perpetrators, ‘sorry, we didn’t mean it’, is completely inadequate. 1. We demand that Australia remove itself from the alliance of predatory nations currently waging this proxy-war against the Syrian government. 2. We demand that Australia reestablish diplomatic relations with the Syrian government who by all accounts represent the will of the majority of the Syrian people. 3. We demand that Australia lift the crippling economic sanctions on Syria that are blocking normal trade, finance and the diaspora from supporting their families at home. Bring your flags and signs.