Keep Sydney Open plans new rally as court sides with Police Commissioner

The Supreme Court has sided with the NSW Police Commissioner following a last-minute prohibited assembly order against anti-lockout group Keep Sydney Open, which forced the cancellation of Saturday nights rally at Kings Cross.

In response to the ruling, Keep Sydney Open will hold a new rally on Saturday February 18 which, according to a statement issued by the group, will be “bigger, louder and stronger than the one originally scheduled” and a rally that “cannot be ignored.”

As reported by TMN last week, the Commissioner attempted to block last Saturday’s scheduled rally after filing proceedings against the group at 4:00pm on Thursday January 19.

The reasoning behind the attempt to prohibit the rally was largely due to the evening setting of the rally, and the temporary closure of Darlinghurst Road.

Keep Sydney Open is outraged at the decision and cite the ruling as “having huge implications for the future of political assembly in NSW.” 

The statement says: “We will be rallying at a crucial time, with a new premier coming into power we need to send a message that this issue is not going anywhere. Our campaign will continue to be the thorn in the side of any government who continues to devastate the communities of our city with draconian, anti-business, anti-culture lockout laws.”

In light of the court’s decision to block Saturday night’s protest rally, the next scheduled rally will not only continue to fight the contentious Sydney lockout laws, but will also draw attention to the right for NSW citizens to gather publicly and express themselves politically, according to the statement. 

At this stage, there is no word from NSW Police as to whether the upcoming rally will be met with resistance.