Roads closed, traffic chaos: Sydney prepares for bridge march
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters are expected to stream across the Sydney Harbour Bridge on Sunday after the Supreme Court rejected a bid to block the anti-war march across the landmark.
Conditions are expected to be wet for the rally, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting 10 to 35mm of rain on Sunday, but organisers claim as many as 50,000 people could take part.
Protesters will gather at Lang Park in the Sydney CBD at 1pm before marching across the bridge.
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The march is expected to last three hours.
Traffic on the bridge will be closed from 11.30am and is expected to be re-opened by 4pm.
Residents and motorists are being urged to avoid the area having been warned of significant disruptions.
Bus services will terminate in the CBD on the south side of the bridge and at North Sydney and St Leonards on the northern side.
Trains will be running across the Harbour Bridge during the march, but delays are expected given the number of people predicted to be streaming into the city.
Transport for NSW says that “extensive” queues are expected at the entrance to the Sydney Harbour Tunnel, with a flow-on effect expected for the rest of the traffic network.
Motorists are being urged to consider alternative routes and allow plenty of extra time, including going from the northern beaches and north shore to the airport.
The Metro service will not in operation between Tallawong and Sydenham on Sunday due to trackwork.
Buses will replace Metro services between Tallawong and Chatswood .
Palestine Action Group organiser Josh Lees, who has been the public face of the group’s push to hold the historic march across the bridge, hailed a NSW Supreme Court decision on Saturday as a “huge victory for the Palestine movement in this country”
Premier Chris Minns had publicly expressed his opposition to the march.
And the NSW Police made an application to the NSW Supreme Court to block the protesters being issued with a Form 1, which affords protesters protection from anti-assembly laws
However Justice Belinda Rigg refused the Commissioner’s application.
“The fact the proposed assembly is likely to cause significant inconvenience to residents … is far from determinative,” Justice Rigg said in her judgment.
“If matters such as this were to be determinative, no assembly involving inconvenience to others would be permitted.”
The Palestinian Action Group said in a social media post: “Tomorrow we are going to make history!
“We will hold a massive march over the Sydney Harbour Bridge, dedicated to using our people power to stop the genocide in Gaza.
“We are working with police and NSW transport to ensure a safe, family-friendly event for everyone.”
Originally published as Roads closed, traffic chaos: Sydney prepares for bridge march
