Thousands join in protest against Sydney lockdown

SYDNEY: Thousands of people took to the streets of Sydney and other Australian cities on Saturday to protest lockdown restrictions amid another surge in cases.

The unmasked participants marched from Sydney's Victoria Park to the Town Hall in the central business district, carrying signs calling for "freedom" and "the truth."

There was a heavy police presence in Sydney, including mounted police and riot officers in response to what authorities said was unauthorized protest activity.

Police confirmed a number of arrests had been made.

The protest came as COVID-19 case numbers in the state reached another record with 163 new infections in the last 24 hours.

Greater Sydney has been locked down for the past four weeks, with residents only able to leave home if they have reasonable cause.

In Melbourne, thousands of protesters without masks turned out chanting "freedom."

Some of them lit flares as they gathered outside Victoria state's Parliament House.

More than 93,000 tests were conducted on Friday in New South Wales.