Image: Photo of police presence on Oxford street supplied to Star Observer. Credit Ryan Withers Photography
After reports of significant and intimidatory police presence on Oxford Street over Pride Month, Member for Sydney Alex Greenwich has put a call-out on social media to help respond to the complaints.
“A lot of people have tagged me in posts or reached out to my office about their concerns of some over-policing that they witnessed on last Saturday night,” says Greenwich in the video, standing on Oxford Street.
“We’ve got to make sure, particularly during Pride Month, that we can go out to venues celebrate and have fun, but what people have reported is sometimes up to 10 police officers coming into a venue which people found to be quite intimidating.”
Witnesses on social media have reported police and sniffer dog presence on Oxford street over the weekend, claiming that 8-10 police entered the Oxford Hotel, Kinselas Hotel, and Universal. Speaking to Star Observer, a witness confirmed that the police “hassled” people on the street, as well as entering the Oxford Hotel and Universal and questioning people inside.
“Sooo it was about 9.30pm on Saturday at Universal wasn’t super busy yet,” wrote one commenter. “Then 10 police come walking in and with a drug dog. It was quite uncomfortable and disappointing. No one was causing any harm the night hadnt even started. Everyone just stopped and felt quite weird. Not needed at all especially at the time!”
“I was there and found it quite confronting,” wrote another. “As someone who grew up in Malaysia, my instinctive reaction to a large police presence is very different to that of many Australians. I found it quite intimidating.”
“As a 78er I am not impressed. Why would you come Oxford Street with this going on,” was one reply to Greenwich’s post. “We have it on video from the balcony upstairs at Kinselas Hotel. 20 people looking down at the 8 or 10 Police all gathered around a guy near the fountain. We all commented to each other ‘is this necessary?'”
Greenwich has called on the community to share more experiences of policing on Oxford street with him, planning to follow up with Surry Hills Local Area Command and the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission.
“It’s so important that police are there to keep us safe and that our community continues to rebuild trust after a fraught number of years, and really, decades. So please reach out and share your experience of what you saw and we’ll work to make sure that Oxford Street continues to be a safe and vibrant place for everyone.”
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