11 in custody after day two of Blockade Australia protests in Sydney CBD

A 31-year-old Bondi man has been fined for driving into a crowd of protesters on Monday, while 11 protesters are in custody after being arrested during Blockade Australia action on Tuesday.

A 31-year-old man from Bondi has been issued with a fine for negligent driving after he drove into a crowd of protesters at the intersection of Bridge and Loftus Sts during Monday’s protest action.

The shocking moment was captured in an aerial video in which the motorist drives at speed into the intersection, grazing two men in high-vis vests.

The Bondi man received a $469 fine and lost three demerit points.

There have been no reports of injuries as a result of the incident.

Meanwhile 11 people are in custody after the second day of Blockade Australia protests, on Tuesday, were carried out in Sydney’s CBD.

Protesters are seen walking through Hyde Park towards William St in the CBD to protest against climate action in Sydney. Picture: Gaye Gerard

Chaos struck the city shortly after 8.15am on Tuesday as a smaller crowd of about 40 protesters – down from about 50 on Monday – gathered and took to the streets.

The protesters marched through the city waving placards and bashing buckets before dispersing in less than half an hour.

Police arrest one of the protesters. Picture: John Grainger

A Blockade Australia protester at Tuesday’s protest. Picture: John Grainger

A heavy police presence including mounted police and PolAir did their best to shepherd rowdy protesters off the roads and onto footpaths in a bid to keep traffic flowing.

But when the protesters looped back to Hyde Park they scurried — dispersing and running into nearby streets.

An internal message to members warned them to “stand by to regroup” after sprinting through the park.

The climate activism organisation began a live video on Facebook just after 8am, filming dozens of their members walking through Sydney’s Hyde Park, holding signs and blowing whistles.

“There’s nothing illegal about walking through a park holding some banners,” one activist was heard speaking to the camera.

Several police officers were seen running after the group as they crossed a road, before a riot squad vehicle turned up just moments later.

Sirens could also be heard in the city nearby.

“These protesters need to stop. They won’t stop until an example is made of them. They show a complete disregard … for the law,” Premier Dominic Perrottet told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.

“The police presence around the city … has been incredibly strong. I have full confidence in the police force.”

Protesters marched through Sydney’s CBD on Monday disrupting the traffic. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

Police have stepped up their response to the protests with a heavy police presence. Picture: John Grainger

It comes as police are calling on neighbours to dob in extreme climate activists causing mayhem in Sydney’s CBD this week, harking back to tactics used to identify unpopular anti-lockdown protesters at the height of Covid.

Blockade Australia starts week off with CBD protest

On Monday morning at least 50 Blockade Australia-affiliated protesters ran through the streets, hurled signs, bins, barricades and other objects onto the road, and caused the closure of the Harbour Tunnel.

Police arrested 10 people as protesters as they vowed to get the rest by any means possible — including calling on the disgruntled public to dob them in.

“We’re going back to the tactics we used during the anti-lockdown protests,” a police source said.

“We’ll be going through CCTV footage and footage posted on social media and we’ll also be asking the public to dob-in anyone they recognise.”

Some of the Blockade Australia activists hurled roadside signs, fencing and even pavers from construction sites onto the road. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

It came as the activist group followed through on months-long threats to cause mass disruption in the Sydney CBD for a week starting from Monday.

Detective Superintendent Paul Dunstan said police numbers would be increased from Tuesday, while urging anyone who recognised activists in photos and videos from the incident to come forward.

Similar appeals by police to draw on public anger at protesters resulted in more than 6000 tip-offs after massive anti-lockdown protests last year.

“We need the public’s help to us to help us identify those involved and to help us prevent further unlawful protest activity in the course of the coming days,” he said.

The 10 people arrested, many of them from interstate, were charged with a raft of various offences such as entering Sydney Harbour Bridge and disrupting vehicles.

A police officer leads a protester away at Monday’s protest. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

They were taken into custody at Surry Hills and Day St police station after the wave of chaos during the morning peak hour.

Among those charged include a Melbourne man, 49; a Brandy Hill man, 25; a 24-year-old Melbourne woman; a Lismore Heights woman, 21; a Brisbane woman, 22; a 25-year-old Melbourne man; and a Petersham woman, 22 — who were all refused bail.

They are all due to face Central Local Court on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a Leichhardt woman, 34, was charged with wilfully preventing free passage of a person or vehicle before being granted bail.

She will face Downing Centre Local Court on July 21.

A 26-year-old man from country Victoria was hit with the same charge and also granted bail.

He will face Downing Centre Local Court on July 21.

Police hope the threat of increased fines and jail time staves off further illegal protest action. Picture: John Grainger

And a 30-year-old Melbourne woman was charged with entering Sydney Harbour Bridge and disrupting vehicles before being granted bail. She will also face Downing Centre Local Court on July 21.

Police Minister Paul Toole said he was confident increased penalties introduced earlier this year and including fines of up to $22,000 and two years in jail would be enough to quell the protests.

“I want to see the book thrown at these people for the thousands of people this morning (Monday) who were delayed. Honest hardworking people trying to make a living couldn’t even get to work on time because of these protesters,” Mr Toole said.

“These protesters don’t care about people’s everyday lives … they’ve been throwing garbage bins, they’ve been throwing bikes … clearly they have been more concerned about littering the streets of Sydney than going about peaceful protest.”

Shadow police spokesman Walt Secord is urging magistrates “to think twice” about bailing those arrested.