NSW Police Commissioner Extends Sydney Protest Restrictions with Limited Scope
NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon has announced that protest restrictions in parts of Sydney will be extended, but with a significantly limited scope. The decision comes in the wake of the Bondi terror attack on December 14, which resulted in 15 deaths at a Hanukkah event.
The extended restrictions now cover Darling Harbour, the north of the CBD, Oxford Street, and the entire Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command. Notably, Hyde Park is not included in these restrictions. These powers were initially granted to police through legislation rushed through NSW parliament after the terror attack.
"This is a time for calm, peace, and unity within the community," Commissioner Lanyon emphasized. "We are still less than six weeks from the most severe terrorist act ever in New South Wales."
The laws enable police to declare that no public assemblies can be authorized following a terror attack. Police activated this power on Christmas Eve and extended it for another 14 days on January 6. The declaration can be extended in two-week increments for up to three months.
Despite the restrictions, a planned Invasion Day rally on Australia Day will proceed, as the reduced restriction area now allows for it. Commissioner Lanyon assured that the protest will be managed through College Street and out of Southern Sydney, reducing the risk to the community.
He anticipates tens of thousands of community members to gather in the CBD on January 26 for the protests. This decision also paves the way for the March For Australia protest, planned for Australia Day, to proceed if other police requirements are met.
"We have ongoing discussions with all protest organizers," Commissioner Lanyon stated. The restrictions do not ban protests entirely but remove extra legal protections, particularly for street marches.
Civil rights and protest groups have criticized these powers, arguing they infringe on democratic freedoms and unfairly target pro-Palestinian rallies. However, the state government argues that these measures are necessary to promote harmony in the aftermath of the tragedy. The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies has previously supported the restrictions, believing they provide the Jewish community with space to grieve.
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