Strong police presence deters threatened COVID lockdown protest
Police officers set up an exclusion zone around the city from 9 am to 3 pm with thousands of police officers on the streets of the CBD area, including three Public Order & Riot Squad teams.
Taxi and rideshare companies were banned from entering the area and faced $500,000 fines if they took passengers into the CBD.
Cars were stopped by police at key check points entering the CBD area and people were asked where they were going. As a result, there were very few citizens in the CBD area and there was no repeat of last Saturday’s protest where thousands marched in protest in the city centre.
The police still made eight arrests and more than 250 Penalty Infringement Notices were issued, the majority for breaching stay-at-home directions.
Image: Pamela Connellan
Taxi and rideshare companies faced fines of up to $500,000 dollars if they took passengers into the CBD. Seven taxi and rideshare services received a prohibition notice banning them from taking passengers to the CBD over the six-hour period.
A notice in the Uber app said the orders prohibited transit through the large area, as well as any pick-ups and drop-offs.
“This is likely to cause significant disruption and we advise you to consider alternatives for any essential travel to and from these areas during this period,” the notice read.
The show of force coincided with news a man in his 60s died that same evening from COVID at his southwestern Sydney home, taking the death toll from the state’s current outbreak to 14.
Images: Pamela Connellan