Australian authorities in New South Wales (NSW) have ended nearly two months of heightened emergency powers restricting public protests and assemblies, with NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon announcing on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, that the special measures are no longer required. The decision marks a return to standard policing protocols for demonstrations across the state, particularly in Sydney.
The restrictions were first introduced on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2025, following a mass shooting on December 14, 2025, at a Jewish community festival on Bondi Beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs. The attack claimed 15 lives and left dozens injured, prompting the NSW government to declare a state of emergency and grant police extraordinary powers under public order legislation. These powers allowed officers to prohibit, disperse, or impose conditions on gatherings in designated high-risk areas of Sydney, including parts of the CBD, eastern suburbs, and other locations deemed sensitive due to potential security threats.
Commissioner Lanyon stated that the conditions justifying the continued use of the powers had subsided. "I'm satisfied the conditions that led to the extension last time do not exist now, and I'm more than happy for (police) to work with protesters," he told reporters, as reported by SBS News and other local outlets. The announcement effectively lifts the blanket authority for police to limit or block protests without standard justification, returning oversight to normal legal frameworks under the Law Enforcement (Powers and Responsibilities) Act 2002 and related public order laws.
The emergency measures had been extended at least once since their initial imposition, reflecting ongoing concerns about community tensions and potential reprisals in the wake of the Bondi Beach tragedy. The shooter, whose identity and motives were subject to intense investigation, targeted attendees at what was described as a family-oriented cultural event, heightening fears of hate-motivated violence and communal reprisals.
The lifting of restrictions comes one week after significant clashes between police and demonstrators during protests against the official visit of Israeli President Isaac Herzog to Australia in early February 2026. Thousands rallied in Sydney, Melbourne, and other cities to oppose the visit, with confrontations in NSW resulting in arrests, use of pepper spray, and reports of injuries on both sides. Critics accused police of excessive force in dispersing crowds, while authorities maintained that actions were necessary to maintain public safety amid volatile circumstances.
Civil liberties groups, including the NSW Council for Civil Liberties and protest organizers, have strongly opposed the emergency powers from the outset. They argue that the measures granted disproportionate discretion to police, potentially chilling free expression and assembly rights protected under international human rights standards and Australia's implied constitutional freedom of political communication.
In response, a constitutional challenge has been lodged in the NSW Court of Appeal seeking to invalidate or limit the future application of similar emergency declarations in the event of terror-related incidents. The case, initiated by a coalition of advocacy organizations and affected protesters, contends that the powers as exercised breached fundamental rights and lacked sufficient safeguards or proportionality. Legal experts anticipate that the appeal could set important precedents regarding the balance between public security and civil liberties in crisis situations.
The Bondi Beach shooting remains under active investigation by NSW Police and federal agencies, including ASIO. While initial reports suggested a lone actor with possible ideological motivations, no formal terror classification has been publicly confirmed, and the incident continues to influence security planning for public events and community gatherings.
With the restrictions now lifted, protest organizers have indicated plans for renewed demonstrations on various issues, including foreign policy, climate action, and Indigenous rights, under standard permitting processes. Police have emphasized a commitment to facilitating peaceful assemblies while maintaining public order.
The decision to revoke the powers has been welcomed by some community leaders as a step toward de-escalation, though others caution that underlying tensions—exacerbated by international conflicts and domestic security concerns—may require ongoing vigilance.
