Summary of the Sydney Protest & Crowd Size Estimates
This article details a large protest in Sydney, focusing on the differing estimates of its attendance. Here’s a breakdown:
The Protest: A significant march took place, with protesters lining streets and crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Police Estimate: Police stated the protest was the “moast perilous” in 35 years of policing, but estimated the crowd size at a relatively low number (the exact number isn’t stated in this excerpt).
Organizer Estimate: Protest organizers claimed a turnout of around 300,000 people, based on analysis of aerial footage. Expert Analysis (Dr. Aldo Raineri): A crowd safety expert, Dr. Raineri, reviewed drone footage and estimated the crowd size to be between 225,000 and 300,000 people, based on density calculations along a 2.5km stretch of the roadway. He acknowledged the estimate was “really rough.”
Past Context: The article compares this protest to other large demonstrations in Sydney’s history:
2000 Reconciliation March: ~250,000 (largest political demonstration in Australian history, according to the National Museum of Australia)
2003 Anti-Iraq War Rally: Police estimated 200,000+, organizers claimed 300,000
2023 WorldPride March: ~50,000
Key takeaway: There’s a significant discrepancy between the police estimate and the estimates provided by organizers and an autonomous expert, suggesting the protest was considerably larger than initially reported by authorities.
