Terania Creek residents fined $12,000, 18 arrested in Byron protest

A senior police officer says protesters shouting for freedoms “could have gone to the pub” as the shire was not under stay-at-home orders.

A Terania Creek household has been fined $12,000 after two people defied stay-at-home orders to attend a protest in Byron Bay.

A large group who frequently chanted for “freedom” gathered outside the courthouse on Middleton Street before moving to Apex Park at Main Beach on Saturday.

Tweed Byron Police District Inspector Matt Kehoe said while he was convinced Byron residents already had freedom – the shire is not subject to stay-at-home rules – two Terania Creek residents breached the seven-day lockdown imposed on the Lismore local government area after new Covid-19 cases emerged there.

Insp Kehoe said the paid were first picked up by an RBT operation on their way into Byron Bay.

The man and woman were initially fined $1000 each and were instructed to return to the Lismore area.

But they managed to get into the town.

“They then chose to go to the protest and were further detected at the courthouse,” Insp Kehoe said.

There, the pair were issued with further fines of $5000 each.

Police issued a total of 28 separate $1000 fines for public health order breaches in Byron Bay on Saturday.

Police conducted a major roadside breath test operation on main roads into Byron Bay, including here on Bangalow Road, before a protest on Saturday, September 18, 2021. Picture: Liana Boss

Insp Kehoe said 18 people were arrested and some were released in the field while others were taken back to Byron Bay Police Station was dealt with.

He said no criminal charges had been laid in relation to the protest.

“They were all dealt with under penalty infringement notices under the public health order,” Insp Kehoe said.

Insp Kehoe said he was “grateful” no police officer or member of the public was hurt during the protest.

Paramedics did however assess two protesters.

“The ambulance went to the courthouse and to the police station for two people that were detained,” he said.

“They were both treated for anxiety, cleared (with a) full bill of health and released.”

As part of a statewide operation that also targeted planned protests in Tweed Heads and Sydney, extra police and specialist resources, including the riot squad, were involved in the police response to the Byron protest.

Insp Kehoe said more than 100 police were involved at Byron.

The beginnings of the protest on the lawn outside Byron Bay Courthouse. Picture: Liana Boss

“Our goal is to provide community safety and make sure we don’t have people in large gatherings,” he said.

“We did explain that to those protesters who did initially gather outside the courthouse and it was later explained on to others who moved onto Apex Park.”

He said it was their goal on Saturday to limit large gatherings and enforce public health orders, but stressed there were many issues officers would rather be addressing.

Inspector Matt Kehoe issues a direction to the crowd to disperse outside the Beach Hotel. Picture: Liana Boss

“On the whole, people were reasonably respectful … we didn’t have any police injured we didn’t have any member of the public injured but it would be nice if we didn’t have to turn up on the weekend to things like this,” he said.

“Police have a lot of work on their plates at the moment and we would really prefer to not have to redirect our resources into the weekend’s protest activity that really I do think was pointless.

“I thought we actually had freedom down there; they could have one to the pub.”