A refugee rights protest planned for Sydney has been blocked by the Supreme Court due to COVID-19 heath concerns.
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The rally, which was being organised by the Refugee Action Coalition (RAC), was scheduled to take place at Sydney's Town Hall on Saturday afternoon.
But Justice Michael Walton on Thursday night granted a NSW Police application for the protest to be declared a prohibited public gathering, after RAC organiser James Supple told the court they were expecting a modest crowd of about 150 to 200.
Meanwhile, NSW Police are urging people not to attend an unauthorised rally connected to the Black Lives Matter campaign.
The action is scheduled for Sydney Town Hall on Friday evening with more than 1000 people hoping to attend, according to the event's Facebook page.
But Assistant Commissioner Mick Willing says the event is unauthorised because police have not been formally notified.
"We all appreciate the sensitivities around (the BLM cause) and global events have left an impression on all of us, but I ask people not to attend tomorrow night's rally," Mr Willing told reporters on Thursday.
Mr Willing said the police force would deploy "significant resources" to enforce the existing COVID-19 health order which bans mass gatherings.
People could be moved on and potentially arrested if they choose to attend Friday's event, the assistant commissioner said.
"We have shown a tempered and measured approach when it comes to the issuing of infringements in relation to the health orders to date. That won't change."
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said people attending Friday's rally could be issued $1000 fines.
About 20,000 people attended a Black Lives Matter rally in Sydney last Saturday after the Court of Appeal deemed it lawful less than 15 minutes before it began.
Meanwhile, NSW residents from Saturday will be permitted to invite up to 20 people into their homes as part of a further easing of coronavirus restrictions.
Up to 20 people will also be allowed to gather in an outdoor space while food courts will be reopened with social distancing regulations. At present just 10 people can gather in public.
"Do not let your guard down," Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Thursday.
"Please think about how you will treat your loved ones and how you will treat those who might have underlying illnesses that can be impacted more heavily by the virus."
NSW has not confirmed a community-derived COVID-19 case in two weeks. No new cases were reported in the state on Thursday and no one is in intensive care.
The total number of cases recorded in NSW sits at 3117.
Australian Associated Press
