In a bid to show their solidarity and denounce spate of attacks against Indian community, over 10,000 people have signed up on Internet for the 'vindaloo against violence' campaign.
Spearheaded by Melbourne-based web designer Mia Northrop, the idea has picked up strongly on the virtual world with hundreds of people signing up, The Age report said on Monday.
The 35-year-old designer is hoping that at least 15,000 people will eat at their local Indian restaurants on February 24 to show their support. Dinners will be held in Amsterdam, Thailand, Malaysia and all Australian capital cities.
Northrop said she and her husband came up with the idea after reading about spate of attacks on Indians.
'We talked about the idea of a flash mob (assembling via SMS to perform in a public place). Then we thought: 'Imagine if on one night thousands of people did this kind of decentralised flash mob and all turned up to Indian restaurants as a way of embracing the Indian community and showing solidarity'?' Northrop said.
'I read that and thought, Right I'm definitely doing it,' she opened a website, a Facebook page and a Twitter account and was "absolutely overwhelmed" by the response.
One rural Victorian family will cook an Indian meal at home because they're three hours' drive from a restaurant.
'I am under no illusion that this is going to solve racism or stop attacks,' she said, adding 'It is a small gesture, but when it is made by thousands of people simultaneously, I think it sends a really powerful message.'
