Students protest at Lee visit

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 9

Students protest at Lee visit

NZPA Sydney About 60 student demonstrators gave a noisy welcome to Singapore’s Prime Minister (Mr Lee Kuan Yew) when he arrived at Sydney yesterday at the start of a 13day official visit to Australia. The students, many of them Chinese from Singapore studying in Australia, chanted “free all political prisoners” as Mr Lee was escorted from his aircraft at Sydney Airport to a waiting car. Policemen formed a tight cordon around Mr Lee as he walked through the airport terminal and the demonstrators, some of whom wore masks to prevent identification, were kept well clear. There were no incidents. The subject of Singaporean students in Australia is expected to be one of the main topics for discussion between Mr Lee and Australian Ministers and officials. The visiting Prime Minister is also expected to face more demonstrations throughout the country by students protesting against the suppression of political rights in Singapore. Mr Lee is known to be concerned that students from Singapore could join political groups in Australia, including the Communist Party. Australia has previously made it clear to the Singaporean Government that it cannot prevent foreign students from joining political groups.