Police on the NSW North Coast shut down multiple gatherings over the weekend, after they were found to be obscenely flouting the state’s strict COVID-19 restrictions.
As reported by the ABC, two “private events” were broken up in the region – including a bush doof of over 1000 people in attendance in Wilson’s Creek and another house party in Byron Bay of approximately 200 people. These breaches reportedly have NSW Health officials worried of a hotspot outbreak on the north coast, with fears it may be worse than those seen in Victoria.
The Tweed-Byron Police took to social media this morning to confirm they had closed down both of these parties and advised everyone to go home, noting that these two breaches of the statewide restrictions followed “numerous calls to large house parties” in the region over the last week.
A spokesperson for NSW Police told PEDESTRIAN.TV that the police are aware of the incidents and are actively following enquiries, and fines or warnings may be issued. No on-the-spot fines were handed down at either the bush doof or the house party in the Byron region over the weekend.
Tweed-Byron Police Detective Chief Inspector Matt Kehoe told ABC that current policy is to first educate with a warning, and then to “consider fining people” if people continue to ignore social distancing restrictions.
At the time of writing, NSW health restrictions state that any outdoor public gatherings or private indoor gatherings are to be limited to 20 people. Individuals can be fined up to $11,000 or be handed six months of jail time for breaching the restrictions.
