Sydney Drumming: Maroubra Beach concert group’s COVID-19 breach
The organiser of a 200-person strong outdoor music event has hit back after being fined for breaching COVID-19 regulations. He complained their ‘rights and freedoms’ have been taken away over a ‘virus with a 99 per cent recovery rate’ and vowed to hold more mass gatherings.
Southern Courier
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The organiser of an outdoor music event in Maroubra that was shut down by police because it was too big has boasted on social media about the size of the gathering – stating “we will not submit to the current totalitarian measures”.
The organiser has also set up a Go Fund Me page to pay a $1000 fine issued by police.
The music gathering, organised by a group named Sydney Drumming, was held on the headland at Maroubra Beach on Sunday afternoon.
The number of people attending the party quickly swelled past COVID-19 regulations – which is currently a maximum of 20 people for an outdoor gathering – and included passers-by who stopped to listen to the music.
Concerned residents contacted police who broke up the party about 6pm.
“Officers spoke with a 33-year-old man who was one of the organisers of the event before the crowd was dispersed without incident,” a NSW Police spokesman said.
Police also issued a $1000 fine to the organiser, Sydney Drumming founder Curt Alchemy who also goes by the name Curt Hannagan.
Mr Alchemy posted on social media on Monday and Tuesday in defiance of the COVID-19 restrictions.
In one post, which has since been removed, he boasted “we were 200 strong not 50 people.”
He has also started a Go Fund Me page to pay the $1000 fine.
“As many of you are aware, over 200 people gathered in Maroubra to collectively share their heart beat and connection to one another in a form of musical celebration for the human race and mother earth,” he wrote after making the Go Fund Me page.
“We are having our rights and freedoms taken away from us over a virus with a 99% recovery rate.
“If you would like to keep celebrating with us, in true spirit, please donate anything you can.
“These events are designed to heal ourselves, heal our trauma, and to create harmony within our body, mind and spirit.”
Supporters of the event encouraged him to host another gathering in the near future to which Mr Alchemy replied “secret location TBA”.
Sydney Drumming has also added a post on its page stating “we will not submit to the current totalitarian measures here in Australia”.
The Southern Courier has contacted Sydney Drumming and Mr Alchemy for comment.