Polling booth rage erupts in Sydney at Bennelong and Grayndler
Two incidents have played out at Sydney pre-polling booths, one in the PM’s seat of Grayndler, as a man destroyed election signs and verbally abused volunteers in Bennelong. WATCH THE VIDEO
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Two confronting incidents have played out at Sydney pre-polling booths during the first two days of early voting, with a 17-year-old boy in custody after an alleged assault on an elderly man in the inner west and footage emerging of another man destroying election signs and verbally abusing volunteers in Macquarie Park.
The teenager allegedly assaulted a man in his 80s at an early voting centre at Ashfield Library in Anthony Albanese’s seat of Grayndler on Wednesday.
The man was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in a serious condition suffering neck injuries, while the boy was taken to Burwood Police Station for questioning.
He has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The boy has been refused bail to appear in a children’s court today (Thursday 24 April 2025).
NSW Police said a crime scene had been established and would be examined by specialist police.
The Australian Electoral Commission released a statement saying it was “aware of this incident”.
“The incident occurred outside of our polling place and did not involve any AEC staff,” the statement said.
“Voting operations are continuing at the pre-poll voting centre in Ashfield.”
It comes as footage emerged of a man destroying Liberal campaign material in the seat of Bennelong and screaming at volunteers on Tuesday.
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A video being shared widely online shows a man wearing a maroon hoodie walking around a pre-poll booth in Macquarie Park, kicking Liberal election signs over while yelling at Liberal volunteers in blue shirts.
“Is it you? All these f---in Liberal signs, brah. All of these f---in signs and I’ve got to look at them,” the man said.
Liberal volunteers are heard in the footage telling the man to “move along”, and at one stage the man screams at a woman who approaches him.
“Don’t put your f---in hands on me, because you’re a woman, yeah, so you’re allowed to.”
In another video taken by a separate bystander, the man is seen violently kicking over the Liberal signs before being escorted away by a Greens volunteer.
The incident was reported to police on Wednesday, when officers arrested a 30-year-old man at a unit on Mahogany Ave in Macquarie Park about 1pm.
He was later charged with intimidation and granted police bail to face Burwood Local Court on June 2.
Macquarie Park resident Steve, who did not want his surname published, earlier told this masthead he had seen the incident while passing by.
He said he now felt afraid to vote.
“We are a democracy,” he said.
“For me, someone who hasn’t voted yet because I haven’t made up my mind, now you’re questioning whether I’m safe going to vote.
“(I’m) still a bit traumatised to be honest.”
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