Latest news with #crowdcontrol
ABC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- ABC News
NSW government kills debate on protesters paying for police presence after exceeding cap
A renewed push to limit activists to staging three protests a year with taxpayer-funded crowd control has been shut down by the NSW government. After the weekend's pro-Palestinian march over Sydney Harbour Bridge, Shadow Attorney-General Alister Henskens attempted to bring on debate for a bill — first introduced in February — that proposed a 'user pays' system for protest organisers after reaching a cap. "This bill is not taking any side on the issues that were subject of the protest on Sunday," Mr Henskens told parliament. "The current legislation does not give any guidance to courts as to how they are to determine the public interest. "What we've seen is millions of dollars being spent on policing instead of on health, education and public transport. There's been a huge drain on our policing resources." But the government voted against debating the proposal on Tuesday, effectively killing the bill. The proposal could have forced protest organisers to pay or contribute to the cost of policing after three annual protests. Premier Chris Minns said the "strong view" of senior government counsel was that it could be "unconstitutional". However, he has not ruled out legislation to prevent regular protests that disrupt "critical infrastructure" like the harbour bridge, following the Supreme Court decision on Saturday for the march to go ahead. "We can't have open season on the bridge. We need to have some kind of orderly process where we balance people's rights to have a protest in Sydney — it's a big international city — without closing down critical infrastructure," Mr Minns told radio station 2GB. "I want to make sure my ducks are in a row ... I'm not ruling out legislation. "I realise that will be controversial, but I think even a lot of people that were at the protest on Sunday would appreciate that you can't knock the bridge out every weekend." NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said it was a fair demand that, after three free demonstrations, the right to protest was balanced against cost to taxpayers and diversion of police resources. "We offered the government a way to strike a fair balance when it comes to protest law," Mr Speakman said. "The right to protest is fundamental in a liberal democracy, but it's not an absolute right. "It has to be balanced against public safety, against the diversion of police resources, against the cost to the taxpayer and against the right of other citizens to use their public infrastructure and go about their daily business." In the lead-up to the protest, Mr Minns faced internal criticism from Labor MPs who suggested political overreach after he stated the bridge march should not go ahead. Two of his ministers, Penny Sharpe and Jihad Dib, joined the protest on Sunday, as did several MPs including Julia Finn, Lynda Voltz, Stephen Lawrence and Anthony D'Adam. While the government is reviewing the Supreme Court's judgement, legal expert Simon Rice from Sydney Law School described the decision as "unremarkable". Professor Rice said Justice Belinda Rigg ultimately decided freedom of expression in this case outweighed NSW Police's public safety concerns. "It's another in a string of decisions the Supreme Court makes from time-to-time when police are concerned about safety and it weighs up competing considerations," he said. "It's not a special decision except that it was on the harbour bridge. "A future protest could be on the harbour bridge, but that depends on the factors the court weighs up next time."
South China Morning Post
4 days ago
- South China Morning Post
‘Hong Kong taxis to be barred from High Island Reservoir hotspot at peak times'
Hongkongers and tourists will no longer be able to take taxis to visit the scenic High Island Reservoir in Sai Kung during certain peak times under a government plan to reduce crowds and congestion, the Post has learned. Advertisement An insider told the Post on Monday that taxis would be barred from entering Sai Kung Man Yee Road between 9am and 6pm to 'effectively reduce road traffic in rush hours' during weekends, public holidays and mainland China's 'golden week' breaks from September 13. The East Dam has become a hotspot among mainland visitors thanks to coverage on social media platforms, with concerns being raised about the environmental impact after crowds of tourists flocked to the area during the five-day Labour Day 'golden week' in May. Sai Kung Man Yee Road is the only road to and from the East Dam and West Dam. The reservoir can still be accessed via minibus No 9A. The East Dam has become a hotspot among mainland Chinese visitors thanks to coverage on social media platforms. Photo: Dickson Lee The source said the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department would set up a security guard booth at the entrance of the road, while the Transport Department would monitor the needs of the passengers and step up the minibus services when necessary.
CBS News
17-07-2025
- CBS News
East Carson Street closure and checkpoints could be coming to South Side amid rowdy crowds crackdown
The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and city leaders are working on a new idea to end the unruly crowds and violence plaguing the South Side this summer. Among the mayhem on the South Side this month, two police officers were injured after a man threw a lit firework at them and shots were fired during the Fourth of July weekend. "When you see these gangs not have respect for officers, it's really concerning, and clearly we know that we need to do something differently here at the South Side," Pittsburgh City Councilman Bob Charland said on Wednesday. Police have had trouble clearing the large crowds filled with teens not from the South Side. "One of the ideas that we've looked at has been finding a way to keep youth out of the bar district after 10 o'clock," Charland said. Charland points to Capo's bar as having a reputation for underage drinking, overserving and loose security. The bar was labeled as a disruptive property, which means anytime fire, EMS or police are called, the owners will be billed. The city is working with the district attorney's office to take the next step. Pennsylvania State Police and the city of Pittsburgh are collaborating to improve public safety on the South Side. Sources told KDKA the city is considering a partial shutdown of East Carson Street on Friday and Saturday nights to better control the crowds. People would also have to walk through security checkpoints at 10th and 18th streets. A PennDOT spokesperson said the closures are pending approval of a special permit from the city, which PennDOT hasn't received as of Wednesday night. East Carson Street is a state road. "Who would be checking these IDs, how would that work?" KDKA's Jennifer Borrasso asked Charland. "One of the things we know is officers can't be the ones checking IDs," Charland said. "We probably would look at a private security firm to give us some help with that. But as it stands right now, so much of this plan is in formation. We are working with what we legally are allowed to do and also what is feasible." KDKA was told the East Carson Street closure plan is not permanent. It's just being tested. But it could be the reality for some time.
Arab News
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Punjab launches Pakistan's first riot management police force
ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of Pakistan's most populous Punjab province this week launched the country's first-ever riot management police force, state-run media reported, saying the move would prove instrumental in protecting people's lives and ensure the safety of government infrastructure. As per a report in the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), a comprehensive eight-week training program was held at the Police Training Center in Punjab's Farooqabad city for the first batch of the force. The training followed manuals from the United States, Turkiye, Europe and other developed countries, and was delivered by experts trained in Turkiye, the report said. During the passing-out ceremony, officers demonstrated exceptional crowd-control drills designed to safely manage violent protest scenarios. 'Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has established Pakistan's first-ever dedicated Riot Management Police Force, marking a major milestone in law enforcement and crowd control in the province,' the APP report said on Saturday. 'The new force has been created within the Punjab Police framework to protect the life, property, and safety of citizens as well as government infrastructure.' The report said that the Riot Management Police, which consists of physically active, capable, and agile officers, was trained specifically to respond to volatile situations with professionalism. It said the first phase of the Riot Management Police Force includes 5,000 personnel, out of which 3,000 have successfully completed training. The report said these personnel will be deployed across Punjab's regional headquarters, with 250 officers assigned to each region to ensure 'swift and organized response' to unrest. Each Riot Management Police team of 250 personnel is supported by 15 specialized sub-units, including the First Aid Unit, the Drone Surveillance Team, the Crowd Engagement Team, the Negotiation Team, the Crowd Control Unit, the Arrest Unit, the Evacuation Team, the K9 (dog handler) Unit, the Sniper and Tactical Response Team. 'The force has been equipped with advanced crowd-control equipment, safety gear, and riot protection tools, and personnel will receive special allowances based on their professional roles,' APP said. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was briefed that the force has been specially trained to manage all types of crowds, including organized violent groups. The aim is to not only neutralize threats but also engage with protesters proactively to prevent damage to public and private property, she said. 'The establishment of this force brings a new dimension to modern governance,' Nawaz was quoted as saying. 'By safely controlling angry crowds, it becomes possible to de-escalate tension and prevent chaos.' Pakistan has historically seen violent protests that have caused significant damage to people's lives, property and government infrastructure.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Photo Gallery: Crowd control tested at Toronto's Rogers Stadium
Coldplay fans appeared to experience a smoother exit from Toronto's Rogers Stadium on Monday night, after complaints of poor crowd control following the outdoor venue's inaugural show last week. As crowds leaving the stadium thickened, staff held up red lights and instructed people to wait inside the venue before they could proceed to transit areas. A green light meant go. The practice, which operator Live Nation Canada refers to as "pulsing," was also in use at the venue's first show. This time, the operator promised to reconfigure the exit routes so that crowds would be dispersed to multiple nearby subway stations. While some fans complained about the temporary standstills, the crowd control technique appeared to help prevent overcrowding at Downsview Park, the nearest subway and GO train station, with a limited number of people flowing through at a time. Here is a look at some scenes as fans entered and exited the venue. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 8, 2025.
