'Leave mummy alone': Woman protesting lockdown arrested in front of screaming son
A mum has been arrested in front of NSW Parliament House in Sydney’s CBD for protesting the coronavirus restrictions in front of her screaming son.
Video circulating on social media shows the woman speaking with police during a tense confrontation.
The woman is wearing a sign which reads: “If you don’t know your rights you don’t have any”.
A police officer reads the woman her rights and she asks; “am I being detained?”
“I go to sleep with honour at the end of the night – with honour knowing that I’ve defended my rights,” she tells the officer.
“I’m here fighting for not just myself and my kids but for your children too. So, thanks guy, have a good day.”
The video cuts and it’s not clear what happened next but the situation later escalated.
“I am not under arrest,” she says as an officer holds her arm.
A woman watching the incident can be heard asking the police; “why is she under arrest?”
A little boy, believed to be her son, begins screaming and crying as officers take the woman into custody.
“Leave mummy alone,” the boy screams at police.
At one point, the woman is being pulled in opposite directions by a police officer and her son.
NSW officers begin to lead the protesting woman away to a squad car but she resists and walks back in front of parliament house.
A male onlooker then gets involved and police have to hold him back.
“That’s my f****** baby,” he yells.
Another woman cries out, “let her go” while others protest to police yelling; “she’s done nothing wrong”.
“I’ve not committed an offence,” the woman yells at a NSW police officer.
“You’re scaring my son. Move away from me and my son.”
The pair are separated and the child kicks and screams as police hold him. His mother, meanwhile, is put in the back of a police car.
NSW Police told Yahoo News Australia the woman was among a group of people who were part of an unauthorised protest.
They were first seen at 2:00pm Saturday but the group swelled to about 40 people by 3:00pm and they “were not exercising adequate social distancing”.
“So officers soon began speaking with members of the group explaining they were not authorised to protest and were also not complying with current Ministerial Directions under the Public Health Act, with many being issued warnings and move-on directions,” police said.
“About 3.50pm, police again spoke with a woman, in the company of a child, who told officers she was ‘exercising’.”
Police alleged she refused to give officer details, would not comply with a move-on direction and she was arrested but “she resisted” leading to a struggle.
“During the struggle, the 36-year-old woman picked up her young son and continued to argue and resist,” police said.
“The child was removed from the woman’s hold and she was taken to Surry Hills Police Station, where her identity was established, and she was issued an infringement notice for fail to comply with noticed direction.
“The child was placed in the care of a relative and the Department of Family and Community Services were notified.”
A 34-year-old man was also arrested and charged with refusing to comply with a police direction. He’ll face court in July.
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NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will begin to ease lockdown restrictions from Friday.
"The changes will allow NSW to fire up the economy, while allowing more personal freedoms," Ms Berejiklian said Sunday.
The new relaxing of restrictions will allow 10 guests at weddings, 20 people at indoor funerals, and 30 at outdoor funerals and will come into effect on Friday.
Religious gatherings and places of worship can also welcome up to 10 people.
Outdoor equipment including gyms and playgrounds can be used with caution, with people encouraged to sanitise the equipment, and swimming in outdoor pools will be allowed.
However, travel to regional NSW is still off the table.
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