Police say they have prevented the mass gathering of people in various locations across NSW, arresting 32 people and issuing 265 Penalty Infringement Notices in a coordinated and mobile response to planned protest activity.
Earlier today (Saturday 18 September), a high-visibility policing operation was launched across Sydney and parts of regional NSW, to prevent, disrupt and respond to any mass gathering or protest activity.
Police say that more than 1,700 police were involved in the operation across the state – including general duties officers from the Central Metropolitan Region, assisted by specialist police from the Public Order and Riot Squad, Operations Support Group, Police Transport Command, PolAir, Traffic and Highway Patrol Command and the Dog and Mounted Unit.
Of the 1,700 police, approximately 1,500 resources were deployed across the Sydney area.
A further were 200 on the ground at regional locations including Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Central Coast, Wollongong and on the South Coast.
During the state-wide operation, 20 people were arrested in Greater Sydney and 236 PINs were issued, 11 people were arrested and 28 PINs were issued in Byron Bay, and one person was arrested and subsequently issued with a PIN in Tweed Heads.
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Could you tell what they are protesting about? Is it the right to get sick and to make others sick? Very selfish and very me, me, me and stuff everyone else.
What are they protesting about?
Clue….Read the banners/
@ Rod
Its against totalitarian government measures and to protect our constitutional rights not just for them but also for you.
Nothing selfish there, quiet the opposite.
Totalitarian government? Give me a break. You do know don’t you that the commonwealth and states/territories have had CHOs and a CMO for many decades who have powers in an emergency to introduce emergency measures. NSW and Victoria are about to come slowly out of lockdown and even with these steps, modelling by some of our leading institutes predicts carnage in our hospitals and thousands of deaths.
The marchers in Byron Shire yesterday represent some of the most privileged on the planet who have been living a utopian lifestyle while misery has unfolded around the globe yet you still want to set back the efforts of so many ordinary citizens. Efforts that have given us the freedom we’ve enjoyed.
Don’t you dare suggest you are doing anything for my constitutional rights.
Covid is here to stay. Nothing is going to stop it so closing borders is clearly irritating and affecting people who just want to go to work. If you’re paranoid, get the vaccine but it’s a choice and shouldn’t be forced on anyone for any reason. Unfortunately it is being forced by stopping people from freedom of movement.
Massive money grab by Government and medical.
I agree with you Matt, it’s here to stay – certainly for a while – and I don’t want to be locked down and certainly not locked within NSW borders.
The thing is though, vaccination rates are already showing a stabilising, hopefully lowering effect on Sydney’s infections rates. Without this there would be a very different trajectory and no hope of opening up or opening borders. This isn’t paranoia, it’s high school maths.
No one is forcing you to get vaccinated but you must realise, when complaining that you will be excluded from certain activities, that this lifestyle is dependent on having the virus under control – if we are to have a health system left. Don’t get vaccinated but accept the consequences. It’s no one I’ll will dictating them it’s a pesky virus. 🦠
Wanting access to the benefits afforded by high vaccination uptake but not being willing to afford those you mix with the same protection, seems to be wanting your cake and eating it too. 🍰 🎂 🧁
It’s a bit like all the non unionists I used to work with who were the first to tell me gleefully about the latest pay rise.
So you are protesting for your right to infect other people. Really totalitarian and against the constitution- sovereign citizen crap. And Matt get vaccinated so we can get with life and not put up with this freedom rally crap, manipulated by German fascist groups. Didn’t you do your research?
Say Matt you do know the climate change deniers make same claim about money grab and the scientists are lining their pockets. I don’t know any rich climate scientists. Same right wing, anti science conspiracy theory crackpots.
There’s NO freedom for those who get sick and die as a consequence of these ‘protestors’ selfish behaviour.
This is a problem we wouldn’t have if selfish, sick people considered others and stayed at home for a few days until they’ve recovered rather than wander around the state and country spreading disease. Oh and WEAR A BLOODY MASK! If you can’t cope with a mask how will you cope on a ventilator? Though you most likely won’t get one as they’re as scarce as hen’s teeth up here.
How will the above idiots cope if they’re seriously ill from covid, the hospitals are overwhelmed and there’s no beds or staff, let alone ventilators, available? Should they be told ‘tough luck, we can’t have health regulations to prevent the spread of this disease-you’ll just have to live or die with covid?’
Vaccination has always been compulsory for people traveling to some countries to protect their own health and to prevent them bringing back diseases that we no longer have in Australia.
Millions of people are alive and well today as a direct consequence of vaccinations.
I vaxed on AZ x2 & why wouldn’t I. I marched in the late ‘sixties/seventies & /eighties, so don’t
attempt to tell me that what’s being called ‘the rights + protection of humankind’ is what you
are on about. Stop playing with fire while putting children & the aged at risk & quit attempting
to represent such a caring role. Bull-dust! The right-to-live-or-die is mine – you don’t own me
or the world we all live in. Do something positive. Go & try to fix our current Cold War. That’s
what I do. In Spades.
Just like some think war can be just and others conscientiously oppose war, so too applies to the various vaccines being offered at the moment and some conscientiously object and why wouldn’t they?
They can object all they like – conscientiously or not – but no-one is being forced to take the vaccines offered.
This is far from a simple matter of being pro choice. Some people, more than our share in this area, are affronted by the whole concept of vaccines, – Mullumbimby has amongst the lowest vaccination rates for any disease – want to take every opportunity to demonstrate their “superior insights” and are outraged by others exercising different choices.
What’s really scary is that some are prepared to repetitively spout any BS that serves their ends.
I get what you are saying, however, it can be difficult to speak your mind so others get your intention, but when you see someone you love living as a survivor of similar interventions, but fall into the small percentage for whom it was detrimental then the caution and fears remain. It may not be mandatory, but for some types of workers it is and for no reasonable reason. No jab, no job is …
Michael what are you conscientiously objecting to? The right to harm other people as well as yourself?
Many reasons Rod. One that might be of interest to you is it’s possible that future immunity is based on being co-dependent with further medical procedures. For example many receivers of the AIDS vaccines had compromised T cells and became less able to fight pneumonia. I do understand it is your right to be vaccinated, but I think personal medical history ought be a part of everyone’s personal decision.
In Sydney, on the Sunday afternoon at Bondi, there were thousands out and about, no masks, no social distancing, no harassment, no PINS, no arrests, great sunset; probably because 1700 Police were on overtime for the Saturday planned protest, but it rained.