NSW Police Chief Loses Bid to Keep Protest Inquiry Private; October 19 Hearings Confirmed

NSW Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon tried to block public hearings into police conduct during February’s anti-Herzog protest at Sydney Town Hall, but the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission rejected his bid on October 8. The watchdog confirmed Operation Makalu will proceed with a public opening address on October 19 and livestreamed examinations of senior officers, after Lanyon’s legal team argued on September 9 that proceedings should remain private. More than 800 complaints were lodged over police handling of the protest.

What Lanyon tried to do and when

On September 9, less than two weeks before hearings were scheduled to start, Lanyon’s legal representatives submitted arguments that witness examinations should be held in private and not livestreamed. They claimed the watchdog had no power for counsel assisting to make an opening statement. The timing forced an abrupt delay to the entire inquiry, disrupting preparation and wasting public resources.

Why the watchdog rejected the bid

Law Enforcement Conduct Commission Chief Commissioner Peter Johnson SC called the timing “more than regrettable.” The watchdog determined that public scrutiny was essential because senior police had already spent months promoting their own narrative about the protest. The commission stated it is “clearly in the public interest” that use of coercive power by officers be examined independently with appropriate public oversight.

What happens next and what the inquiry covers

Public hearings begin October 19 with an opening address. Private examinations of operational police officers and civilian witnesses will run for five weeks, then findings will be addressed in a final public report before moving to public hearings of senior commissioned officers. The inquiry examines police behaviour during the February 9 protest, when viral footage showed officers punching protesters and grabbing Muslim worshippers during sunset prayers. Ten officers and numerous demonstrators were injured. Thirty people were charged; four have had charges dropped, with more than 20 due to face a joint hearing in July 2027.

Political reaction and the broader context

Greens MP Sue Higginson called Lanyon’s attempt an “extraordinary” effort to suppress public examination of serious misconduct allegations. In September, Higginson referred body-worn video to the commission showing a male officer telling a colleague he had punched a protester, with the colleague laughing in response. The incident sparked broader concern across Western Sydney’s Islamic communities and among civil liberties advocates about police use of force during protests.

Final Thoughts

Lanyon’s closed-door bid failed, but the delay signals tension between police command and independent oversight. Public livestreaming of senior officers’ testimony starting October 19 will test whether transparency can restore trust after months of allegations and viral footage.

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