Thirty refugee activists have staged a protest outside Villawood immigration detention in Sydney, demanding its closure and the release of detainees.
All the centre's detainees are being moved temporarily to other facilities after asbestos was found at the site.
Mark Goadkamp from the Refugee Action Coalition, says the detainees have been through enough trauma and transferring them to another prison will have a even bigger impact on their mental health.
"We're chanting "Free the refugees,' 'Relocate Vanstone', and I think I've just heard some yelling from the inside."
"The police are very timely shining their light on us so the detainees can see us more clearly and we can see them on their balconies looking back at us."