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What happened?
A protest at the Sydney office of Prime Minister John Howard
Friends gather in support
Again, friends and supporters gathered outside the Custody Centre to protest at his treatment. In the following days, as Scott's story made national headlines, friends, supporters and concerned citizens in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Cairns and Perth staged colourful, peaceful protests at the offices of the Australian Federal Police, the Department of Immigration and Prime Minister John Howard. In several cities, groups of peace activists attempted to "hand themselves in" as supposed "threats" to national security.
Scott was placed in solitary confinement, without natural light and limited access to clean clothing and bathing facilities. Imprisoned for days, Scott was granted access to his lawyers and a US consular official, but was allowed only two visits from friends. He was not permitted to make phone calls, even to contact his family in the United States, and news media was kept away.
While being held in the Custody Centre, Scott learned that he would be personally liable to pay for the cost of his incarceration. He was also falsely advised that any attempt to appeal the revocation of his visa would prolong his detention and pressured to sign a statement waiving his right to appeal.
Faced not only with the loss of his liberty, but with a mounting financial debt courtesy of the Australian Government, Scott chose to pursue a legal strategy that would enable him to challenge the cancellation of his visa in the Migration Review Tribunal. Consenting to his removal from Australia minimised the duration - and therefore the personal and financial cost - of his detention.
