NSW police deputy commissioner Gary Worboys said police wanted to work with the organisers to make sure people were complying with public health orders and that it did not turn into a “disastrous” mass spreading event. but at the present time we’ve got cases going through the roof and we have people thinking that’s OK to get out there and possibly be close to each other at a demonstration.” “We live in a democracy and normally I am certainly one who supports people’s rights to protest. Hazzard condemned the planned protests as “really silly” on Saturday morning. “The priority for NSW police is always the safety of the wider community.” “The NSW police force recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly, however, today’s protest is in breach of the current Covid-19 public health orders,” it said. The NSW police said officers from across central metropolitan region, assisted by specialist resources, were deployed in response to the unauthorised Sydney protest. Lots of shouting and tonne of honking car horns. “We really need our community, particularly in south-western and western Sydney, to stay at home, to hear the message and stay at home,” Hazzard said.Ĭrowd size at this anti-lockdown protest is no joke. Similar scenes unfolded in Melbourne and Adelaide, which are both in lockdown, and Brisbane, which is not.Īs demonstrators were gathering in Sydney, the New South Wales health minister, Brad Hazzard, revealed a record number of new coronavirus cases had been detected – 163 in the previous 24 hours – and pleaded with people to stay at home. “If we don’t see a spike in the areas these protesters came from in the next week I’ll be very, very surprised,” Elliott said.ĭemonstrators broke through barriers in the Sydney CBD and threw plastic bottles at police. After protesters were dispersed, the New South Wales police minister, David Elliott, announced the formation of a strike force to identify each of the 3,500 protesters at the “super spreader” event.Įlliott said 57 people were arrested and several police officers had been assaulted.
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