NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian appears hell bent on legally blocking any additional Black Lives Matter protest action, and has outright asserted that her State Government will move to make any additional protest action illegal under pandemic-related health order legislation.
After attempting, and failing, to have this past weekend’s massive public action against Indigenous deaths in custody, Premier Berejiklian has gone on the front foot this morning asserting that any further planned protests will “absolutely” not take place.
Appearing on The Today Show earlier this morning, Berejiklian asserted “
“I
“Please know that relief is around the corner, we’re doing so well.” – New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian on calls to lift restrictions following weekend protests. #9News pic.twitter.com/deyMsdJLKB
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) June 9, 2020
The NSW Government attempted to have the planned protest action ruled illegal by the Supreme Court late Friday and into Saturday, citing current pandemic health orders banning large outdoor gatherings. Had they been successful, police would have been free to level every attendee of the rallies with social distancing fines. However, the Court of Appeal denied the request mere minutes before the protest was scheduled to begin.
Those protests lead to extremely disturbing scenes, in which a small group of non-violent protesters leaving the scene were kettled and pepper sprayed by NSW Police in an underground walkway of Central Station, seemingly unprovoked.