The New South Wales Supreme Court has ruled Keep Sydney Open’s weekend protest cannot go ahead.
The NSW Police Commissioner served the anti-lockouts group with court papers late yesterday (January 19) in a bid to put a stop to their planned third rally against the laws on Saturday night (January 21) in Kings Cross.
Keep Sydney Open pointed out the last minute action was despite police receiving lawful notice of the rally back on January 9.
Flight Facilities were set to DJ at the event, which was promoted by artists including Flume on Twitter.
KSO director Tyson Koh said, following the hearing, if anyone turned up to hang out in the area or a stage was set up it could result in arrests being made.
He said he was unsure of the basis for the Supreme Court’s decision in a Facebook Live video. According to the ABC, police made the case that organisers had not adequately planned security or traffic measures.
“In coming to his decision to stop the event going ahead, Judge Geoff Lindsay said he had carefully weighed the rights of freedom of speech and assembly against public safety laws,” the news outlet’s report states.
The protest would have been the group’s first since the announcement central Sydney’s 1.30am lockout and 3am last drinks laws were set to be pushed back by half an hour this year. KSO says such small extensions will do nothing to save the city’s nightlife and support businesses.
