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The police officials acknowledged that the situation could have devolved into chaos or violence, emphasizing the risk of hostile or chaotic behavior if frustrations among protesters or onlookers escalated. One expert described the event as unprecedented in their experience, indicating the extraordinary challenge it presented to law enforcement.
Legal Rulings and the Right to Protest
Despite police opposition and government concerns, a court ultimately overturned their restrictions, ruling that the protest on the Sydney Harbour Bridge was protected under the constitutional right to freedom of expression. Tuler criticized this decision, asserting that the right to protest does not extend to shutting down major infrastructure like the Sydney Harbour Bridge.