Coronavirus: AFL crowd allowed in Adelaide as Black Lives Matter protest blocked
A crowd will watch this Saturday’s AFL grudge match between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows, but a second Black Lives Matter protest will not be allowed.
A crowd will watch this Saturday’s AFL grudge match between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows, but a second Black Lives Matter protest will not be allowed to proceed as the South Australian government grapples with a backlash over the last rally.
While Premier Steven Marshall defended his Police Commissioner for allowing last Saturday’s protests, business owners questioned why the 6000-strong protest went ahead while cafes and pubs were inspected to ensure they were complying with miserly patron limits and social-distancing requirements.
The perceived double standard has prompted growing demands in SA for an easing of restrictions, with the Premier promising on Monday that greater freedoms were on the horizon.
The announcement that this Saturday’s match will have 2000 regular fans and 240 corporate guests means Adelaide Oval will be the first AFL venue to host a crowd since the lockdown began in March and suspended the football season. The NRL will allow about 200 people into corporate areas from Thursday, when the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles play the Brisbane Broncos at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford, NSW.
But businesses are still demanding the state government do more in light of the precedent set by last Saturday’s protest. David Basheer — who has just spent millions renovating his flagship city pub The Strathmore, only to be closed for months — said other publicans had told him council rangers had inspected their venues using tape measures to ensure the stools were far enough apart.
Mr Basheer, who is also president of the Australian Hotels Association SA, said he had no problem with people protesting, but the timing was hard to explain.
“We have seen a lot of inconsistencies and hypocrisies during this process, such as cafes and restaurants being allowed to open, but dining areas in pubs being forced to stay closed,” Mr Basher told The Australian.
“What happened on Saturday, though, was the greatest hypocrisy of all. I don’t know anyone in business who thought it was OK for that to go ahead at the same time as venues are being forced to operate at 20 per cent capacity and policed for failing to do so.”
The State Government Transition Committee met on Monday to determine the next stage of the lifting of restrictions, with the decision taken to allow fans to attend this Saturday’s traditional Port-Crows showdown at Adelaide Oval.
It came as Police Commissioner Grant Stevens admitted he and SA Chief Medical Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier had been against last Saturday’s protest on health grounds. But he added it would have been too dangerous for police to try to stop it, given organisers said they intended to proceed anyway.
“The reality was with the rally that happened on Saturday, there was no likelihood we were going to be able to control the number of people who gathered in Victoria Square,” he said.
“That rally was going to happen whether I gave an exemption for it to occur or not.”
However, Mr Stevens said on Monday that SAPOL would not support a protest in Adelaide this weekend.
“I would encourage people not to attend,” Mr Stevens said. “People who attend run the risk of being issued expiation notice or risk being reported or arrested.”
“We’ve given people an opportunity to participate. That can’t happen every weekend, otherwise the restrictions do become a mockery.”
Mr Marshall backed the commissioner’s call, saying: “If people turn up this Saturday it will not be a lawful rally.”
Mr Marshall also promised further good news on the easing of restrictions, describing this Saturday’s crowd at the Adelaide Oval as a step in that direction.
“It’s a small crowd but it’s a start,” he said. “It’s good recognition for the people of SA who have done the right thing. If we continue to have low numbers there’s a world of opportunity that opens up for our economy.”
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