A topless 70-year-old woman is one of five people arrested and charged with attempting to glue themselves to the windows of a building in Sydney’s CBD as part of an Extinction Rebellion protest yesterday.
Police say the group entered the lobby of a commercial building on Elizabeth Street at around 1.30pm, before a man and a woman began to spray paint the windows.
The man and four women, who were all topless and wearing body paint, then attempted to glue themselves to the windows while the remaining members of the group remained in the lobby.
When asked to leave by building security, Police say they refused to do so.
Officers attached to Sydney City Police Area Command attended, along with Police Rescue, the Public Order and Riot Squad and Central Metropolitan Region Operations Support Group and issued move on directions to the group.
It’s alleged five people – a 31-year-old man, and four women – aged 29, 48, 60 and 70 – refused to leave and police assisted to remove them from the window, before they were arrested and taken to Surry Hills Police Station.
The 29-year-old Blacktown woman was charged with two counts of destroy or damage property, Remain on prescribed premises without lawful excuse, and wilful and obscene exposure in/near public place/school.
The 48-year-old Mittagong woman was charged with destroy or damage property, remain on prescribed premises without lawful excuse, and wilful and obscene exposure in/near public place/school.
The 60-year-old Wingham woman and 70-year-old Mittagong woman were both charged with remain on prescribed premises without lawful excuse, and wilful and obscene exposure in/near public place/school.
The man, from Victoria, was charged with two counts of malicious damage and remain on prescribed premises without lawful excuse.
The man and 29-year-old woman were refused bail to appear at Central Local Court today. The others were granted conditional bail to appear at Downing Centre Local Court on November 5.
