"militarisation of public space". and Australian Racism
Convicted boat race protester Trenton Oldfield wins fight against deportation from Britain
An Australian jailed for disrupting one of the world's most famous boat races has escaped deportation after arguing he did not want to expose his wife and daughter to racism in Australia.
Trenton Oldfield disrupted last year's annual Oxford-Cambridge boat race in London, when he swam out into the River Thames to protest "entrenched elitism".
Mr Oldfield, 37, was convicted of public nuisance and sentenced to six months in prison over the protest - the first time in 158 runnings that the race had been interrupted by a swimmer.
The Home Office, or interior ministry, later deemed his presence in Britain as "undesirable", rejecting his application for a spousal visa and ordering him to leave the country.
Mr Oldfield, who has lived in Britain since 2001, appealed against the decision at the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal.
He based his appeal partly on a claim that his British wife, Deepa Naik, and their five-month-old daughter would face discrimination if they were forced to move back with him.
"Australia to Deepa... is a particularly racist country," he said.
"There are particularly racist attacks on people of Indian descent."
Mr Oldfield said that while most of it was "water cooler" or unintentional racism, some Indians in Australia have been burned and physically assaulted.
"I don't think I could put either Deepa or my child through that," he said.
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Protester slams 'militarisation' of London boat race
Updated
The Australian man whose protest halted last year's Oxford-Cambridge rowing race in London has described the use of Royal Marines to boost security for the event as the "militarisation of public space".
Trenton Oldfield was jailed for causing a public nuisance after he jumped into the Thames last April and swam between the universities' boats.
It was the first time in the 158-year history of the annual Oxbridge race that it had been interrupted by a swimmer.
This year's race is taking place tomorrow and organisers have revealed Royal Marines will be deployed on the river in inflatable boats to ensure there is no repeat protest from anyone.
Mr Oldfield, who served seven weeks of a six-month sentence for his protest against elitism, has slammed the move.
"A Twitter storm has broken out with the news that the Tory government is using 200 Marines and 10 boats to intercept any possible peaceful protest at the 159th Oxbridge rowing race," he told ABC News Online.
"Tweeters have been overwhelming aghast at the inappropriate use of public resources, the militarisation of public space and the threat of violence to 'protect' an undemocratic and corporately sponsored rowing race that happens between just two universities.
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With additional reporting by Europe correspondent Barbara Miller.
posted by Satish Sharma at
02:14
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