Australia’s most populous state, New South Wale has lodged a legal application to stop a Black Lives Matter protest occurring in Sydney.
This was disclosed on Friday June 5, 2020 by Premier Gladys Berejiklian.
About 20,000 people have pledged to attend a protest organised in Sydney on Saturday in solidarity with the Black man,George Floyd, who was murdered by the US police.
The permission to stage the protest had been granted as planned to be attended by 500 people.
According to Berejiklian, when it became clear that thousands had planned to attend, the legal application was made to the state’s Supreme Court.
“This is because the protesters could not guarantee adherence to the health orders,” she told reporters.
“They could not guarantee safe social distancing and simply the number of protesters far exceeds – far exceeds – the health orders and we can’t afford to have exceptions for anybody.
“I’m asking, appealing and pleading with those thousands of people who’ve indicated they’re turning up to a protest – please, do not do it,” she added.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday also issued a stern health warning to those planning to attend Black Lives Matter protests around the country this weekend.
“The health advice is very clear, that it’s not a good idea to go,” he told reporters.
“The risks of people coming into close proximity are real,” he said adding that if people couldn’t honour veterans on ANZAC Day in the usual way this year, they should find an alternate way to support the Black Lives Matter movement.
“Let’s say to those who had the absolute agony of not being able to say goodbye to a loved one, let’s thank them by showing responsibility this weekend,” he said.
“The risk is great, I don’t deny that. I am an at-risk person,” Indigenous academic Marcia Langton told ABC Radio.
“I do appeal to everybody to wear masks and social distance at the protest.
“But at the same time, every time an Aboriginal person goes out on the street we are at risk,” she added.
