Protesters at Sydney’s illegal Black Lives Matter demonstration feared police were preparing to use a hi-tech ‘sound weapon’ on them – but it was just a loudspeaker.
About 300 people gathered at the city’s Hyde Park on Friday night to protest Indigenous deaths in custody, defying authorities which had refused the demonstration due to coronavirus fears.
During the protest, police broadcast a message saying: ‘This is a Long Range Acoustic Device’, sparking a flurry of concerned tweets from demonstrators and state Greens Upper House MP David Shoebridge.
A Long Range Acoustic Device – known as a LARD – can blast out deafening warning tones and is often to disperse protesters in the United States.
NSW Police officers stand guard around a statue of Captain Cook in Hyde Park on June 12, 2020 in Sydney
Protesters holding placards are seen during a Stop Black Deaths in Custody: Solidarity with Long Bay Prisoners vigil at Sydney Town Hall in Sydney, Friday, June 12
Protesters arrived at Sydney’s Hyde Park for the unauthorised rally to stop Aboriginal deaths in custody
A Long Range Acoustic Device – known as a LARD – can blast out deafening warning tones and is often to disperse protesters in the United States (stock of LARD)
‘We’re hearing police have just used a sound weapon against protesters,’ Greens MP David Shoebridge tweeted.
But Assistant NSW Police Commissioner Mick Willing denied the allegations saying it was simply a ‘normal loud hailer’.
‘There is one issue I want to clarify out there about the alleged use of some sort of sound weapon by police,’ he told the media.
‘That is not the case, police officers used a normal loud hailer to issue a warning to the crowd.’
A NSW Police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia that it was in fact a ‘loud speaker’ officers were using.
Protesters were outnumbered by more than 600 police officers in the city on Friday night, in an event deemed unlawful because NSW Police wasn’t formally notified.
‘Black lives matter’ and ‘Not enough justice, too many coppers’ was chanted by protesters as they marched through Hyde Park.
Commissioner Willing expressed his disappointment that protesters disregarded the public health oder at an ‘unauthorised event’.
‘It was made very clear during the week that the protest was unauthorised, and people should put the health and wellbeing of themselves and others first, by not attending.’
Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing denied the allegations saying it was a ‘normal loud hailer’
Police used a loud siren (pictured) asking the people to disperse and go home
NSW Police wearing masks are seen during a Stop Black Deaths in Custody: Solidarity with Long Bay Prisoners vigil at Sydney Town Hall in Sydney, Friday, June 12
A 24-year-old woman from Panania was arrested after failing to comply with a move on direction.
She was issued with a PIN for breaching a public health order and released.
NSW Police will once again be out in force for Saturday’s unauthorised protest which has been banned by the NSW Supreme Court.
He warned demonstrators to ‘stay at home’ as officers will carry out the law and fine people $1,000 for breaching public health orders.
‘I want to be clear about this – if people choose to break the law and attend this protest, police will not hesitate to take the appropriate action against them.’
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday stated: ‘The very clear message is people should not attend those events because it is against the health advice to do so.’
He said protesters should express their views ‘in another way’.
A protester gestures towards New South Wales police officers during a ‘Rally Against Black Deaths In Custody’ in Hyde Park on June 12, 2020
NSW Police officers are seen lined up at Town Hall during a ‘Rally Against Black Deaths In Custody’ on June 12
A woman holds up a sign which reads, ‘Strongly Dislike the Police’ at Town Hall on June 12, 2020 in Sydney, Australia
The NSW Supreme Court earlier this week prohibited the ‘Free the refugees’ protest scheduled for Saturday afternoon on the basis the health risks ‘outweigh the rights of public assembly and free speech’.
The Refugee Action Coalition (RAC) said they would ignore the court’s decision that declared Saturday’s event a prohibited public gathering.
In a judgement handed down late on Thursday, Justice Michael Walton granted a NSW Police application that opposed the rally on public health grounds.
The rally, which is being organised by the Refugee Action Coalition (RAC), is scheduled to take place at Sydney’s Town Hall on Saturday afternoon.
Immediately following the decision, during which Justice Walton said the right to protest did not outweigh health concerns, the group’s spokesman said the ruling would not change their plans.
‘We’ll still be holding an event this Saturday, urging people to participate,’ James Supple said outside court.
‘As the court said, it doesn’t actually make it illegal to come to a protest, it just gives the police more powers.
‘We’ll be doing everything in our power to ensure it’s a safe gathering and urging people to show some safety concern for the coronavirus measures.’
NSW Police officers stand guard around a statue of Captain Cook in Hyde Park on June 12
Police stand guard in front of Town Hall waiting for the Illegal protestors on June 12, 2020
Police had asked RAC to postpone the protest, which is expected to attract around 150 to 200 people.
But the group’s lawyer, Emmanuel Kerkyasharian SC, told the court the protest was a matter of urgency given refugees were being held in custody against their will.
He also argued the rally was no different to gatherings that were allowed in schools, airports and parliament.
Mr Supple said RAC did not intend to take their case to the Court of Appeal and would instead push ahead with the protest in spite of warnings from authorities.
Their warning comes after a protester, who attended last weekend’s Black Lives Matter rally in Melbourne, tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday.
NSW’s two-week streak of no new locally-acquired COVID-19 appears over after Rose Bay Public School was closed on Friday while NSW Health investigated a possible case in a staff member.
‘Further testing confirmed this is a case of COVID-19,’ the department said in the evening.
‘However, it should be stressed that the date of infection is still to be determined and this case may be an older infection.’