More Cops and a Ban on Rap Music: How Sydney’s Easter Show is Tackling Violence

With the annual Sydney Royal Easter Show kicking off this Thursday, organisers have announced various new safety measures. 

The measures were introduced to prevent negative behaviours amongst teens and young adults after the tragedy at the Sydney showground last year. 

Seventeen-year-old Uati ‘Pele’ Faletou was allegedly stabbed while working as a ride operator at the Easter show last year.  

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NSW Police said the fatal stabbing was linked to “postcode war” violence.

So what will these new measures include, and how safe will you be at this year’s Show?  

In today’s episode of THIS ARVO IN SYDNEY, host Sacha Barbour Gatt spoke with Daily Telegraph journalist, Josh Hanrahan and the General Manager of the Sydney Royal Easter Show, Murray Wilton to find out more. 

Hanrahan said that given the rise in violence between what he interchangeably referred to as “street gangs” or “postcode gangs,” there was a real possibility they could gather in a place like the Royal Easter Show. 

In that case, there is a potential for incidents like the one we saw last year to happen,”

he added.

As for Mr Wilton, he says they have been working with the police extensively since the tragedy. 

With the results of a comprehensive risk analysis report, he says they have increased security spend and bolstered manpower.   

Under the new safety measure, there will be a ban on rap music, increased lighting and more police and security on the grounds who will have more powers to conduct searches and eject attendees for “anti-social behaviour”. 

We’re lighting the carnival up like a Christmas tree. So there’s gonna be a lot of light, and people are going to be able to see each other when they walk past,”

he said.

So if police, ASIS, security or our staff witness any antisocial behaviour and I’m talking about something as simple as – which does happen – a group of kids running up and down the Easter show complex as they do, they’ll be pulled up, and they’ll be removed from the site.” 

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