Invasion Day rally proceeds despite NSW Health refusal to grant coronavirus exemption

Invasion Day protestors are gathering in Sydney despite the NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard issuing an 11th-hour refusal to grant the demonstrators an exemption to coronavirus public health orders.

More than 7,500 people who registered their interest for the Invasion Day rally at The Domain this morning could risk arrests and fines for attending.

Rally organisers submitted a request to Mr Hazzard for an exemption to the 500 person cap for protests, which came into effect in response to the Avalon COVID-19 outbreak in December.

The protest’s organisers, being represented by the Aboriginal Legal Service (ALS), launched a late-night action yesterday in a bid to force the Health Minister to make a decision.

Their hearing was scheduled to be…