NSW Police Minister David Elliott says 57 people have been charged after attending an anti-lockdown protest in Sydney today, and that a strike force has been established to identify others who were there.
Officers issued more than 90 infringement notices to people at the demonstration for breaching public health orders. More arrests are also likely.
“What we saw today was 3,500 very selfish boofheads — people that thought the law didn’t apply to them,” Mr Elliott said.
Earlier, Central Sydney was shut down for several hours as thousands of protesters breached COVID-19 restrictions to march, sparking brawls and several arrests.
People in Greater Sydney and its surrounds have been living in lockdown for exactly four weeks, as an outbreak of the Delta coronavirus variant continues to spread.
In the 24 hours to 8:00pm Friday, a record 163 new infections were announced.
Twenty-two detectives will be involved in strike force Seasoned and will work until “whenever it concludes” to identify protesters.
Members of the public have already started to send police social media footage from the event, some of which identifies individuals committing offences. Police will also “forensically investigate” CCTV feeds.
Mr Elliott has warned protesters, particularly the ringleaders, to expect a call from police from tonight. He also urged them to get tested for COVID-19.
“There is no doubt in my mind that at least one individual there today had COVID, it is statistically impossible for us not to consider that.
Chaotic scenes on Sydney streets
Protesters shouted “freedom” as they marched towards the CBD through the suburb of Haymarket, which had just moments earlier been declared a virus hotspot by NSW Health’s Jeremy McAnulty at a press conference.
Smaller demonstrations were also held in Melbourne, where flares were set off outside Parliament House, and in Brisbane, where hundreds gathered in the city’s Botanic Gardens.
There were chaotic scenes on Sydney’s Broadway, one of the main arteries through the city’s inner west, with thousands of people blocking traffic to take part in the unauthorised event.
By the time the crowd reached George Street, a brawl broke out.
Opposite Sydney Town Hall, protesters swarmed and threw items at mounted police.
Officers then formed a barricade across George Street which cut off hundreds of protesters still making their way down one of the country’s most iconic thoroughfares.
More than a dozen people scaled an awning to jump and chant to a large crowd below.
Full story.. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-24/anti-covid-lockdown-protest-in-sydney-cbd/100320620
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