Cops slammed over sandwich man’s Barangaroo arrest

Well-known Sydney sandwich board activist Danny Lim has been arrested for offensive behaviour at Barangaroo but police have copped criticism for their actions on social media.

Sydney sandwich board activist Danny Lim has been arrested for offensive behaviour.

The 74-year-old was fined after three police officers arrested him at Exchange Place in Barangaroo about 9.20am on Friday.

It’s unclear what the offensive behaviour involved.

Video of the arrest shows an officer holding a sandwich board sign that reads: “SMILE CVN’T! WHY CVN’T?” Mr Lim in August 2018 successfully had a 2015 conviction and $500 fine for offensive conduct overturned over a sandwich board which mocked then-prime minister Tony Abbott with a clever rewriting of the word “can’t”.

District Court Judge Andrew Scotting said it was unlikely the sign would offend the average Australian.

Witnesses to Friday’s arrest criticised police for the manner in which Mr Lim was arrested.

“I saw police officers use a completely unnecessary and unacceptable amount of force to arrest Danny for wearing a humorous sign,” Christina Halm posted on Facebook.

Danny Lim October 19 (Image/Monique Harmer)

“There was a crowd of at least 30 who had stopped in their tracks once we realised what was happening, clearly all shocked, gasping and crying at what we were seeing.” Niki Anstiss said Mr Lim was trying to make people smile.

“This is disgusting,” she wrote.

“I saw 3 police officers brutally rip his sign from his back and arrest him while he was screaming for them to not take his sign. He did nothing wrong.”

NSW Police declined to comment when asked about the physicality of Friday’s arrest.