She got off lightly compared to the protester who interrupted the Sharks / Tigers game with a flare, he got 3 months jail after the NSW Government changed the laws a few weeks ago to increase penalties for this sort of act.
The protester who lit a flare on the field during an NRL match has been jailed for three months, as officials believe Cronulla games may be targeted due to Prime Minister Scott Morrison being a Sharks fan.
www.smh.com.au
A protester who ran onto the playing field and lit a flare during the Cronulla-Wests Tigers match on Sunday has been jailed for three months as ARL Commission chairman Peter V’landys and Cronulla CEO Dino Mezzatesta called for harsher penalties to deter pitch invaders.
Andy George, 32, pleaded guilty to two offences in Sutherland Local Court on Monday amid fears from the NRL and Cronulla that protesters will target PointsBet Stadium during the election campaign because Prime Minister Scott Morrison is a Sharks fan.
Noting it was not the first demonstration George had taken part in, Magistrate Phillip Stewart said he had little choice but to give a harsh punishment after the environmental protester pleaded guilty to entering enclosed land without lawful excuse and possessing a bright light distress signal in a public place.
“He’s prepared to be arrested, and he expects to be punished,” Stewart said. “There needs to be a strong message sent to the community and to the offender. No penalty other than prison is appropriate. He’s not remorseful at all, rather his actions were deliberate and calculated.”
The jail sentence came after V’landys labelled George, who was representing protest group Fireproof Australia, an “imbecile”.
The group has since posted on social media to say it would continue with similar protests until its demands, which include immediate rehousing of flood and bushfire survivors, immediate implementation of royal commission recommendations into the Black Summer bushfires, and “smoke-proofing” schools, aged care and disability facilities, are met.
“Having an imbecile running across with a flare not only jeopardises himself but our players. It’s not acceptable. You can protest, but protest without possibly hurting someone,” V’landys said
.
“We have to do something. We just can’t have people with flares running across a rugby league field. It’s dangerous. What else are they going to bring? Are they going to bring Molotov cocktails? What are they going to do?”
Mezzatesta spent Monday reviewing the incident with police, and told the
Herald the club will almost certainly hire more security and make them more visible at future home games.
“We’ve done copious reviews from last night to today, not only with our security company, but the police as well,” Mezzatesta said
. “We are making sure we are prepared. It’s all about the safety of the players and officials on the pitch, but also the people at the stadium watching the games.
“This individual has nothing to do with rugby league. He’s used the event to try and make a statement.
“We review after every event anyway, but we have reviewed the amount of security available, where we position them and certainly react a bit quicker as to safety and get people around. We hope there are no repeats but in the time we’re in, you have to be prepared.”
