Australia to not let a Black Lives Matter protest take place in Sydney
Story highlights
Thousands of people have pledged to attend a protest organised in Sydney on Saturday in the wake of death of black American George Floyd in US police custody.
Australian authorities are taking legal action to try stop a Black Lives Matter protest scheduled to take place in Sydney on Saturday, citing the risk of a coronavirus outbreak given the large numbers expected to attend.
Thousands of people have pledged to attend a protest organised in Sydney on Saturday in the wake of death of black American George Floyd in US police custody.
The last-minute move by the New South Wales state government on Friday came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison told people not to attend the gathering and similar rallies in Melbourne and other major cities.
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Also, Australia's most populous state had lodged a legal application to stop a Black Lives Matter protest occurring in Sydney, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Friday.
The protest had secured permission as it originally planned to have fewer than 500 people present. But Berejiklian said when it became clear that thousands planned to attend, the legal application was made to the state's Supreme Court.
The NSW Supreme Court will hear the matter on Friday afternoon.
Morrison said earlier that people should find other ways to express anger following the death of black American George Floyd in US police custody.
"The health advice is very clear, it's not a good idea to go," he told reporters in Canberra.
"Let's find a better way and another way to express these sentiments ... let's exercise our liberties responsibly."
The Melbourne protest is still scheduled to take place with state police approval, although Victoria state Premier Daniel Andrews has urged people not to attend.
The protests will also throw a spotlight on police treatment of Australian indigenous people, including the deaths of Aboriginal men in custody.
Australia has reported daily single digit and low double digit numbers of coronavirus cases in recent weeks and has 490 active cases, with just 25 people in hospital.
