The small group, about 30-40 people, called for Russia to end its support for the Assad regime. Many of them had travelled by bus from Sydney and Wollongong.
The protestors, Australian-born Syrians, as well as newly-settled Syrian refugees, chanted “Down, down, Putin. Down, down Assad.”
Protesters outside the Russian embassy in Canberra. Source: SBS News
President of the Australian for Syrian Association, Dr Anas Natfaji said the alliance between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin has become “more evident now”.
“We’ve all been following the news about the tragedies in Syria; things got escalated last week,” he said.
“There’s now unprecedented intervention by the Russian Army itself.
All the weapons Bashar uses are supplied directly by Putin.”
In the midst of the chanting, Dr Natfaji approached the gates of the embassy and handed an envelope to an embassy staff member.
He told SBS it was an open letter to the Russian Ambassador to Australia, Vladimir Morozov.
Protesters outside the Russian embassy in Canberra. Source: SBS News
A section of the letter read:
“Australian Syrians, just like the majority of Australians, strongly condemn the ruthless bombing carried out by Russian warplanes on rural Homs and rural Hama leaving 65 people dead on just the first day. The vast majority were civilian casualties including women and children.”
The group also called for Australia to do more to help Syrians.
Dr Natfaji said he welcomed the Australian Government’s decision to accept 12,000 Syrian refugees but believed more should be done.
“We have written formally to our government,” he said.
Protesters outside the Russian embassy in Canberra. Source: SBS News
“We think it’s a very positive step and in the right direction but we feel Australia can and should do more.
"Not only to accept [Syrian] people to Australia, but also to work harder to the root of the problem.”
Dr Natfaji said he would like to see a ceasefire imposed.
“Actions should be taken step by step and we think the first step would be to stop supplying arms to both sides and to enforce a ceasefire, which would be the way to start real dialogue and a real political process.”
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