Victorian man jailed for organising anti-lockdown protests in Sydney

A Victorian man involved in organising anti-lockdown protests planned for Sydney this weekend won’t be returning home any time soon.

A Victorian man will face time behind bars after being found guilty of organising this weekend’s protests as well as multiple Covid breaches after driving from QLD to Sydney.

The 29-year-old appeared at Hornsby Local Court on Friday and was sentenced to a maximum of eight months in prison over his involvement in organising an unauthorised protest, as well as multiple breaches of the Public Health Order.

Police were tipped off earlier this week a man had allegedly travelled from QLD down to Sydney with no reasonable excuse, and was staying in a North Sydney hotel.

Police also alleged the man had been involved in plans for an anti-lockdown protest which has been organised for this weekend.

Detectives went to the hotel on Wednesday, but found he had left, and searched for him for several days before police patrolling Sydney‘s trains found the 29 year-old at Hornsby Railway Station at 3pm on Thursday.

The man allegedly told police he was lost, and couldn‘t provide a reasonable excuse for travelling, so he was arrested and taken to Hornsby Police Station.

The man was sentenced today to a maximum of eight months in prison, with non-parole period of three months after he pleaded guilty to four counts of not comply with noticed direction re s 7/8/9 – COVID-19, encourage the commission of crimes, and false representation resulting in police investigation.

Originally published as Victorian man jailed for organising anti-lockdown protests in Sydney