Anti-Lockdown Protests in Sydney

                 (Heath Parkes’s article from the WEEKEND AUSTRAIAN on July 18, 2021.) 

Police charge two people following lockdown protest in Sydney’s southwest: Two people have been charged following a protest against additional lockdown measures in Sydney’s southwest.

A large group of people gathered at Paul Keating Park in Bankstown just after 4pm on Saturday, as tensions grew in the Covid-19-riddled region. Police handed out fines to people who allegedly refused to leave, and arrested a man and a woman. 7 News reported about 100 people attended the event, with footage from the scene showing many wore masks while congregating at the park.

The man, 57, was charged with failing to comply with a public health order, not complying with directions given by police, and having custody of a knife in public. He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Bail Court on Sunday.The woman, 36, was charged with failing to comply with a public health order and granted conditional bail to appear at Bankstown Local Court on September 2.

In further action, eight people – six males aged 29, 19, 55, 24, 17 and 35, and two women, aged 24 and 26 – were issued penalty notices after they allegedly refused to leave the area. The 24-year-old man was also charged with drug possession, while the 35-year-old man received infringements for offensive behaviour and offensive language.

It came after the NSW Government announced on Saturday that people living in the local government areas of Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool would be confined to their suburbs from midnight. Only health care and emergency services workers will be exempt from the rules, in a move aimed to stop the concerning spread of Covid-19 in the city’s southwest.

Quarantine Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown, Liverpool

Suburbs inside Fairfield, Canterbury, Bankstown or Liverpool - the Sydney areas locked down for TWO weeks. From midnight on Saturday, residents in Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown or Liverpool local government areas are not allowed to leave their council area until July 30. The only exception for residents from those areas is for those in health and emergency services.

The list of suburbs in Fairfield city include:

Abbotsbury, Bonnyrigg, Bonnyrigg Heights, Bossley Park, Cabramatta, Cabramatta West, Canley Heights, Canley Vale, Carramar, Cecil Park, Edensor Park, Fairfield, Fairfield East, Fairfield Heights, Fairfield West, Greenfield Park, Horsley Park, Lansvale, Mt Pritchard, Old Guildford, Prairiewood, St Johns Park, Smithfield, Villawood, Wakeley, Wetherill Park, and Yennora.

The list of suburbs in Canterbury-Bankstown include:

Bankstown, Chullora, Greenacre, Mount Lewis, Punchbowl, Bass Hill Ward, Bass Hill, Birrong, Chester Hill, Condell Park, Georges Hall, Lansdowne, Potts Hill, Sefton, Villawood, Yagoona, Ashbury, Belfield, Campsie, Canterbury, Clemton Park, Croydon Park, Earlwood, Hurlstone Park, East Hills, Milperra, Padstow, Padstow Heights, Panania, Picnic Point, Revesby, Revesby Heights, Belmore, Beverly Hills, Kingsgrove, Lakemba, Narwee, Punchbowl, Riverwood, Roselands, and Wiley Park.

The list of suburbs in Liverpool include:

Anzac Village, Ashcroft, Austral, Badgerys Creek (crosses Penrith Council), Bringelly (crosses Camden Council), Busby, Carnes Hill, Cartwright, Casula, Casula Mall Shopping Centre, Cecil Hills, Cecil Park (crosses Fairfield and Penrith Councils), Chatham Village, Chipping Norton, Cross Roads, Denham Court (crosses Campbelltown Council), Edmondson, Edmondson Park, Green Valley, Greendale, Greenway Park, Hammondville, Hammondville East, Hargrave Park, Heckenberg, Hillview, Hinchinbrook, Holsworthy, Horningsea Park, Hoxton Park, Ingleburn (crosses Campbelltown Council), Ingleburn Military Camp (crosses Campbelltown Council), Ingleburn Village, Kemps Creek (crosses Penrith Council), Kookaburra, Leppington (crosses Camden and Campbelltown Councils), Liverpool, Liverpool Military Camp, Liverpool North, Liverpool South, Liverpool West, Liverpool Westfield, Luddenham (crosses Penrith Council), Lurnea, Middleton Grange, Miller, Moorebank, Moorebank Village, Mount Pritchard (crosses Fairfield Council), Pleasure Point, Prestons, Rossmore (crosses Camden Council), Sadleir, The Cross Roads, Voyager Point, Wallacia (crosses Wollondilly and Penrith Councils), Warwick Farm, Wattle Grove, and West Hoxton.