QLD border protests: Attendees warned of $4135 fines
Authorities have issued a stern warning to anyone planning to attend rumoured border protests in coming days. WHAT THEY SAID >>>
Gold Coast
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MEMBERS of the public planning to attend rumoured border protests at the weekend could face fines up to $4135 if they are caught failing to comply with health orders.
Reports of protests along the Queensland-NSW border on Sunday emerged online in recent days, prompting Queensland Police to issue a stern warning to attendees.
Authorities are hoping to avoid similar scenes to last Sunday in which hundreds gathered at the border – most of them unmasked – in defiance of New South Wales’ strict lockdown.
Additional officers will continue to conduct high visibility patrols throughout the area to deter large gatherings and anti-social behaviour.
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A Queensland Police spokesman said while the right to a peaceful assembly and protest was supported, attendees were reminded of restrictions and requirements associated with Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young’s directions.
“Police will take action against any deliberate breach of the CHO Directions with all police action intended to keep our community safe from the further spread of COVID-19,” the spokesman said.
“Those taking part in protest action who deliberately and recklessly ignore the CHO Directions could face fines up to $4135 for failing to comply.”
It comes after a Murwillumbah man, 52, rode horseback and allegedly crossed into Queensland without a permit during last weekend’s protest. He was issued a $4135 fine.
Police say they are continuing to work with NSW police to track down other individuals involved in last week’s protest and also those who continue to defy border closures.
A Burleigh Heads man, 64, was on Friday provided a caution by police while a 45-year-old Palm Beach woman was issued a $4135 fine.
The pair have since been ordered into two weeks hotel quarantine after travelling into New South Wales without an essential purpose.
A 69-year-old Nerang man was also charged by NSW police in relation to matters arising from last Sunday’s protest and has also been placed into quarantine.
Not a crime to live in NSW’: Plane border protester speaks out
August 23, 2021
THE man behind a message in the sky at the weekend’s wild border protest has spoken out on why he got involved – and what his plans are for the next banner.
Sky-Ads owner Gary Biggs drew cheers from protesters as flew his plane over the Tweed with a banner reading: “Tweed zero cases. Why lockdown insanity?”
He was issued a police directive not to fly banners during future protests.
The Terranora, NSW resident told the Bulletin he joined the action because his business in Queensland was suffering after police blocked him at the border.
“I have a second business up the Coast that employs 20 people and I haven’t been able to get there,” Mr Biggs said.
“It’s not a crime to live in Australia, or to live in NSW.
“I just want to run my business and take care of my family.”
The border resident urged premiers Annastacia Palaszczuk and Gladys Berejiklian to move the border checkpoint south to Yelgun.
“(My message) was to both Gladys and Anna that this is crazy what you’re doing on the border,” he said.
“It’s insane – sort it out.
“I’m happy to work with the police so as to not cause any incitement of the crowd. That’s not our intention.”
Mr Biggs said his next banner would display a more lighthearted message of: “Covid in the poo is a pile of crap.”
PROTEST HORSEMAN LABELLED ‘RECKLESS’, SIX CHARGED
A HORSEMAN who stormed past border blockades in an anti-lockdown protest has been labelled “reckless” and may face prosecution, police say.
NSW police issued almost $120,000 in fines for breaches of public health orders after the cross-border protest on Sunday at the Tweed-Coolangatta divide. Six were charged with various offences.
A Gold Coast man has also been charged separately after allegedly throwing an egg into a crowd, which swelled to 1000-plus at the protest peak.
A NSW horseman, who breached the Queensland border, telling protesters “they can’t hold all of us” is yet to be found by police. A car and a horse float were found near the border.
Gold Coast police Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman said while the man appeared to be an experienced rider there was a risk to public safety and he could be prosecuted: “His actions are what I would describe as reckless in relation to the way he rode through the crowd on a number of occasions, remembering that there were young families and children about.
“There was a real risk of injury to members of the public through the way that individual rode the horse, let alone the Covid breaches going backwards and forwards across the border.”
The man and others believed to have played a role in the protest are in police sights. Authorities are reviewing footage and have not ruled out further action.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk was “extremely disappointed” by the protest, with Northern NSW under stay-at-home orders: “We are seeing an escalation of the Delta strain in NSW and of course we are concerned that will creep further north. Our police are doing everything they possibly can to keep Queenslanders safe. I’d ask people to be respectful towards police and respectful towards their community.
“The way you get through this if you have a stay-at-home order is stay at home.”
Tweed/Byron District Commander Superintendent Dave Roptell said the goal was to get out of lockdown and “this sort of mass gathering is not to help”.
“Our officers are reviewing all available vision to ensure we’re able to identify and take appropriate action against those who were in attendance yesterday,” Supt Roptell said.
“The majority of the Far North Coast have been doing the right thing by following the stay-at-home orders and keeping the community safe. It is extremely frustrating a minority continue to have a blatant disregard for the wider community’s safety.”
Police hunt for mounted protester after fiery border rally – August 23
POLICE have arrested nine people, a Gold Coast man has been charged and almost 55 fines have been dished out for breaching public health orders after a Covid-19 lockdown protest at the Queensland-New South Wales border.
Meanwhile, officers have their sights set on wrangling a protester riding a horse who bounded through border blockades.
A crowd of more than 2000 people gathered on both sides of the border at the Boundary St, Coolangatta checkpoint about noon Sunday, protesting against coronavirus restrictions.
Most of the police action was taken by NSW Police Force on the Tweed side of the border, where participants were breaching the state’s strict lockdown stay-at-home orders.
It’s also alleged protesters crossed the border without being screened at checkpoints.
NSW Police issued a statement advising eight people had been arrested and officers had issued 54 penalty Infringement Notices.
Gold Coast police arrested one man, a 55-year-old Nerang resident, who was charged with obstructing police and was due to face Coolangatta Magistrates Court on September 20, a spokeswoman said.
NSW Police stated on Sunday a “high-visibility” police operation was launched by Tweed Byron Police and Richmond Police districts to “prevent, disrupt and respond to any planned mass gathering or protest activity”.
“During the operation, protesters crossed the border between Queensland at Coolangatta and NSW at Tweed Heads,” the statement read.
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“Eight people were arrested and taken to Tweed Heads Police Station, where charges are expected to be laid. Officers also issued 54 Penalty Infringement Notices for breaches of the public health orders.”
NSW Police Minister David Elliott stated he was disappointed by the “selfish actions of hundreds of people”.
“Communities, across NSW are sick and tired of the abhorrent actions of the minority.
“We have seen this sort of behaviour result in further lockdowns; the very thing these individuals are protesting against,” he said.
“There is no doubt in my mind that we risk seeing lockdowns extended, affecting the entirety of NSW, because of actions such as what we’ve seen this afternoon.
“This is such a critical time for communities to adhere to the health orders and to limit movement.
“Actions like what we have seen this afternoon pose a significant risk to the community.”
“I again, thank the officers of NSW Police Force for their work in quickly moving in on this event and conducting arrests where required.”
Tweed Byron District Commander Superintendent David Roptell said his officers responded quickly to disrupt the activities of protesters in the area.
“NSW Police are taking the threat of unauthorised protest activity extremely seriously and will not hesitate in the enforcement of the Public Health Orders,” he said.
“It is disappointing that people in our community continue to put others’ lives in danger by attending mass gatherings in the current climate.
“It is in the best interest of the health and safety of everyone across the state and around Australia, to comply with the Public Health Orders, so we may see the end of lockdown.
“Further inquiries will be made to identify those who were in attendance at today’s protest and appropriate action will be taken.”
Supt Roptell thanked the majority of the community for “doing the right thing by staying home and staying safe”, and for supporting his officers going about their duties.
NSW Police conducted patrols throughout the Tweed “for the remainder of the day” and did not have to take further action.
Gold Coast police hope to catch up with the horse rider, according to Acting Chief Superintendent Rhys Wildman.
The man was seen charging down the street on the steed shouting: “Cross the border. Everyone cross the border, they can’t hold all of us” during the protest.
Supt Wildman said on Monday while speaking to media that police had identified a “number of individuals who are of particular interest to us” – including the man riding the horse.
“It was actually quite reckless what he did, riding through the crowd,” he said.
“The crowd itself, there was a lot of families, young children and he actually, a number of times, rode through trying (to) … whip the crowd up into a bit of a frenzy,” he said.
“We will actually make inquiries this week to chase those particular individuals up and take appropriate action.”
Supt Wildman said the protest on the Queensland side was vocal but largely “peaceful”.
However, one man was charged with public nuisance offences after allegedly throwing eggs into the crowd.
Supt Wildman said there was contingency plans in place with resourcing and that specialist police from Brisbane had been sent to assist.
“We did have resources available, but we made the prudent decision not to deploy all our resources for the time.”
Border chaos: Anti-lockdown protester defends Nazi signs
August 22: A man willing to protest against Covid restrictions, but not wanting to be identified for fear of losing his job, compared lockdown restrictions to the early tactics of Adolf Hitler.
“I’m here just to educate people about the small freedoms getting taken away from us and I’ve got a couple of signs here of Adolf Hitler that talk about the way to control society and the citizens and that’s to slowly take away their freedoms and their rights,” the NSW man said.
“Each week there is one more thing that is mandatory or (a freedom) taken away.
“When does it get to the point where enough is enough?”
The NSW man said his wife, a healthcare worker, had been personally impacted.
She is pregnant with their first child and told she needed to be vaccinated before crossing the border.
“There’s been no longitudinal studies done about (Covid) vaccines and childbirth and if there’s any cognitive issues or anything like that,” he said.
“Australia is a really good country for backing each other and looking after each other,” the protester said.
“Everyone chips in and helps each other out. I think this is the time where we need to help each other out and say enough is enough.”
‘CROSS THE BORDER!’: 2000 LOCKDOWN PROTESTERS CLASH WITH COPS, MULTIPLE ARRESTS
August 22: Protesters clashed with police at an anti-lockdown rally on the NSW borderline with the Gold Coast, with multiple arrests and chants of “who do you work for?” at police.
A large crowd of more than 2000 people converged on both sides of the border at Coolangatta’s Boundary Street at noon Sunday to protest against Covid restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the deadly Delta strain.
Officers were berated while arresting protesters who gathered despite being warned not to by both police and the state government.
Among the 2000-strong crowd was a man riding a horse, who charged down a local street screaming “Cross the border. Everyone cross the border, they can’t hold all of us”.
The crowed marched up Boundary St to Cafe D’Bar then turned around, marching towards Twin Towns Resort
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“Who do you work for?” a man was filmed screaming at officers.
Protesters have been spotted at the scene carrying signs attacking lockdowns, the Covid-19 vaccine and demanding the border be reopened.
The vocal crowd have been chanting “you work for us”.
A plane flew over with a banner reading:
“Tweed zero cases. Why lockdown insanity?”
Just before 1pm there was a shift between protesters on both sides of the border.
On the Queensland side, the crowd stood back and watched the chaos unfold as police monitored the situation.
It was a completely different story just metres away in NSW where protesters there are vocal and angry.
A blockade of protesters overwhelmed a group of police, forcing the police to retreat further back.
The rally came just two hours after Deputy Premier Steven Miles said he was disgusted by the protesters who rallied over the weekend in other states and in Brisbane.
Mr Miles labelled the protests as “shameful and reckless”.
“(The protests) are very un-Queensland like,” he said.
“We have gotten through this because Queenslanders do the right thing. We’ve kept each other safe.
“I’ve been to a lot of protests, I’ve organised a lot of protests, I love a good protest, but now is not the time for protests, particularly on the border.
“The border is our riskiest place right now. We have to see the situation in NSW the same way we’ve seen the situation in other countries throughout this pandemic.
“By having a protest there they put the safety of our police at risk, they put their own safety at risk and they put the safety of the community at risk.
“Frankly I’m pretty disgusted.”
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Originally published as QLD border protests: Attendees warned of $4135 fines
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