Another large public gathering has raised concerns that Sydneysiders are not taking social distance seriously enough as the Northern Beaches outbreak continues to intensify.
Images taken in the run-up to Christmas show hundreds of nearby people looking at Christmas lights outside the Hillsong Church in Bella Vista in northwest Sydney.
It comes after riot police were called in to throw a big party on Christmas Day at Bronte Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs.
A concerned local resident who made the video and sent the images to 7News
New South Wales reported nine new cases on Saturday, eight of which were related to the growing Avalon Cluster – which now has 116 cases.
With the northern beaches closed off, the rest of the port city is allowed to hold outdoor gatherings of 100 people with strict social distance measures.
Outside of the stunning Christmas lights at Bella Vista, it seemed that the crowd was overcrowded.
A concerned local resident who made the video and sent the images to 7News.
Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Hillsong for comment and is not implying that the church has approved the Christmas event.
The evangelical megachurch known for attracting large crowds has transitioned to live streaming services with locations and places of worship in NSW only allowed to have 300 people on site, subject to the one person per square meter rule.
The Evangelical Mega Church known for attracting large crowds has transitioned to live streaming services (Hillsong Church in Bella Vista, Sydney)
Outside the Hillsong Church in Sydney, a beautiful display of reindeer can be seen
Outside the Hillsong Church in Sydney, a beautiful display of baubles can be seen
On Saturday, NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard turned down ‘backpackers’ because they ‘don’t care about the rest of Sydney’ after they ignored COVID-19 restrictions to party on Christmas Day.
About 300 revelers ignored social distance as they party on Bronte Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs before riot police stopped the party at 3pm on Friday.
A 25-year-old man was given notice of attendance at court for allegedly failing to comply with an instruction from the police.
Mr Hazzard said the partygoers’ behavior was “absolutely terrible” and could lead to a “superspreader event” at a Boxing Day press conference.
It’s because Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia have banned all Sydneysiders from entering their states until coronavirus cases are zero.
About 300 Christmas keepers (pictured) gathered at Bronte Beach in Sydney’s eastern suburbs on Friday for a big party – before riot police stopped the event at 3 p.m.
“People in the Northern Beaches have done their part to protect not only themselves but the rest of Sydney,” said Mr Hazzard.
“It’s absolutely horrible to see what was clearly a group of people, a large group of people, who the rest of Sydney didn’t give a shit about.
Let me tell you, that event, I hope, isn’t going to be a super spreader event, but chances are it could be.
‘In the early stages of the pandemic, we had some challenges with backpackers, with backpackers clearly wanting to party in the Eastern Suburbs – it can’t continue.
‘There is still a big risk to us with COVID, and my message to those people and people who know one of those people is that they have to stop it, get it out, otherwise you or yourself could end up with the virus . can eventually be part of a super spreader event. ‘
A superspreader event would likely frustrate Sydneysiders, who are currently banned from Victoria, Queensland and WA.
Other states such as South Australia, Tasmania and the ACT require Sydneysiders to be quarantined for 14 days upon entry.
Only the Northern Territory allows Sydneysiders, except those in the Northern Beaches north of Narrabeen, to arrive without quarantine.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard (right) slammed the ‘backpackers’ for ‘they don’t care about the rest of Sydney’ at a Boxing Day press conference
Radio host Carla Bignasca (left) assumed all of the partygoers (right) were European backpackers and said they should ‘go back to where they came from’ on Saturday.
The suspected backpackers were also knocked down on The Today Show, featuring radio host Carla Bignasca told them to “go back to where they came from.”
“We have all that fruit to be picked from trees, vegetables to be harvested from crops and yet they are sitting there being slammed and wasted on a beach,” she said.
“How can they support themselves when we have all this work for them and no one is doing anything?”
“I understand it’s Christmas Day, but go back to where you came from.”
Ms Bignasca stressed that the virus is ‘virile and paralyzing’ in Europe, while things are much better in Australia.
“As long as they can see what’s going on at home, how good we are here – but for good reason,” she said.
“So respect the rules, respect the laws and don’t be such an idiot on the beach.”
Also, radio host Brendan Jones appeared on the Today Show, saying he should ‘track them down and send them back to where they came from’
Richard ‘Dickie’ Wilkins said it was ‘a big assumption’ that all partygoers were European backpackers, but he eventually agreed.
“Wherever they come from, there are families apart, people in border towns who cannot cross the border,” he said.
Also, radio host Brendan Jones appeared on the Today Show, saying “track them down and return them to where they come from.”
‘Send them to Cottees (Cordial), my father picks the fruit, my backpacker picks the fruit. Do that, ”he said.
A young man who reportedly attended the party is to appear in court after allegedly failing to comply with police instructions to leave the area.
“A 25-year-old man was given notice of attendance in court for non-compliance with a change of direction,” a NSW police spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.
The rest of the crowd obeyed and left the area.
“The police are reminding the community that the park is an alcohol ban.”
There was no social distance in Bronte as the crowds danced close together
On Friday, images surfaced of revelers in Bronte wearing festive Santa hats, dancing close together and on each other’s shoulders in large crowds, as the Sydney outbreak grew to 118 confirmed cases.
There were no face masks and no social distance.
Mr Hazzard immediately denounced the group as ‘ignorant’ of the potential spread of the deadly disease on Friday.
“I have a longing for youthful Christmas cheer, but this is as irresponsible, ignorant and idiotic as it gets,” he told the Daily Telegraph.
“It’s a huge potential COVID-19 incubator.”
Social media users have also expressed anger at the images as many families have been split up as a result of the latest outbreak.
“ I’m not sure these pagers got the COVID memo, ” a concerned local wrote a video of the disturbing scenes.
Revelers were seen huddled in a huge crowd and few masks were in sight
Another added: ‘I’m not the Christmas grinch and I don’t grudge someone having a good time after the year we’ve had, but am I missing something? How come only 10 people in a household, but more than 200 people close together in Bronte? ‘
Police were seen trying to disperse the huge crowd and ordering revelers to join in another video posted on Instagram.
Police confirmed by the NSW were called to Bronte around 3 p.m. were assisted by the Public Order and the Riot Squad.
“The police were called to disperse a large crowd at the site,” a spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia.
Only 10 people are allowed to gather indoors, but up to 100 people can gather outdoors in Greater Sydney. It is believed that in Bronte there were over 300 people celebrating together.
Police stayed on site Friday night to keep a close eye on a handful of revelers who chose to stay.
Police officers watch a group of people gather in a large number next to Bondi Beach on December 25, 2020