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SYDNEY - Police in central Sydney are engaged in a necessary security "overkill" for Apec, the NSW government says.
Deputy Premier John Watkins has defended police tactics after reports that a city restaurant was told to leave cutlery off outdoor tables, office workers were directed to not to look at passing helicopters, and police leafed through journalists' notebooks.
Mr Watkins said senior police had told him there was no "official direction" for patrolling officers to use such tactics.
"It is pretty ridiculous," Mr Watkins told Southern Cross Broadcasting today of the cutlery-related report.
"The issue about forks and staying away from windows, the advice from police is they have not advised people to remove cutlery or to stay away from the window.
"I haven't heard about the issue of (reporters') notebooks being checked and I don't think that is appropriate either, but a level of security is required, it was arrived at in consultation with security agencies and overseas security agencies."
Mr Watkins said authorities remained concerned about a major protest planned for Saturday to coincide with the leaders' summit, despite organisers agreeing to a less contentious route.
"Police have to make certain preparation to protect our city," he said.
"Now if they go too far, and there is an overkill about it, as long as it doesn't interrupt the lives of most of our citizens I'm reasonably willing to cop that."
Up to 20,000 people are expected to attend the rally, which will start at the city's Town Hall at 10am (12pm NZT), then march to nearby Hyde Park.
"It's the police and the government who are the main ones that have been talking about violence," group spokesman Alex Bainbridge told Southern Cross Broadcasting today.
"We're going to have marshals, we're serious about having a peaceful protest and we've said that all along."
The NSW Supreme Court yesterday ruled in favour of a police application to prevent the group marching along its chosen route that would passed the US Consulate in Martin Place.
Mr Bainbridge said police had had an opportunity in court to tender evidence showing a violent protest was planned, but could not do so.
He said the judge had ruled in favour of police because of the safety risk posed to protesters by a security fence that police plan to erect near Martin Place on Saturday.
"This will still be a significant protest march, there will be a lot of people there," Mr Bainbridge said.
"The very act of turning out in the current conditions will be an act of defiance."
He also said the court ruling had emphasised "neither the court or police have the power to ban protests".
- AAP
- AAP
