Crowds Come Out For Mardi Gras

Local News, By Christian Taylor, 8th March, 2009

Check out Same Same’s photos from Mardi Gras by clicking here.

On Saturday night Mardi Gras marched up Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, with more than 130 floats and 9,500 people participating. Numbers of onlookers have been estimated at 300,000.

Matthew Mitcham led the parade on a podium, surrounded by male dancers in swimwear carrying scorecards. American comedian Joan Rivers, in town especially for Mardi Gras, waved from a truck. Floats included the Police, Defence, a tribute to the Victorian Bushfires, sporting teams, religious groups, community organisations, a number of commercial floats as well as one dedicated to Harvey Milk.

Oxford Street was made an alcohol free zone for the event, and while Police said overall spectators behaved well, 28 arrests were made on the night with offences including assault, indecent assault, offensive behaviour, offensive language, assault police, resist arrest, robbery and malicious wounding. Police were also forced to break up a number of brawls in the park and nearby.

“While the spectators and participants enjoyed a relatively incident-free night along the parade route, there were a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour and alcohol-related crime that occurred in Hyde Park and the surrounding area during and after the parade,” said Operation Commander, Assistant Commissioner Catherine Burn.

“There appeared to be an increase of bottles and glass containers throughout Hyde Park. It’s a concern because it significantly increases the risk of injury to revellers and participants.”

Police also carried out a licensing operation on the strip, and a number of infringements were issued. These include; 10 licensing breaches against three establishments, four security related breaches, six offences of supplying minors with alcohol, and 17 minors possessing or consuming alcohol. Police moved people out of Hyde Park after midnight to keep things under control.

The night before the Mardi Gras Parade, Same Same hosted Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham’s 21st birthday party at the Mardi Bar and we asked him a few quick questions about his role as the Chief of Parade for Mardi Gras 2009.

Check out Same Same’s photos from Mardi Gras by clicking here.

Click here for Same Same’s Mardi Gras section.

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Your Thoughts

MichaelAnthony

said ages ago

Hectic... I didn't see much of the homophobia. It's a real shame we still get that kind of behaviour. Admittedly I was afraid of glass bottles being thrown at the parade... but didn't see any. If people see / hear homophobia they should alert one of the parade volunteers who can radio the nearest police officer... the police presence on the parade route was quite dense. I would say one every 25 metres. There was at least one parade volunteer every 5 metres and one volunteer with a radio every 50 metres. My first time watching the parade this year (marched in the last two - so didn't see much). Was the best experience ever!! The floats rocked - especially the Freemasons float and the AFL float. I think some easy choreography does wonders for a float's energy / presence. The floats without music / dancing generally didn't really get much of a response out of the crowd. I was volunteering, so I got a great view and I had a rail between me and the packed crowd. Highly recommend volunteering to anyone! Alot of standing around - but you also get to interact with the crowd and control their responses. I did alot of hyping and getting the crowd excited when cool floats were going past. Although marching is also fun... in a different way. After party was awesome and the after -after party at Home night club was doubly awesome. Parties at Home night club are generally pretty cool - but the last two I went to have been rained on... so Terrace is not its' usual Sydney self.

C and K

said ages ago

yeah well I was assutled by a meth head lesbian a couple of weeks ago so there's good and bad eveywhere. Not all hetro's are eveil and not all homo's are angels. That's just how it rolls folks. Stay at home is my call.

pioneer_to_the_falls

said ages ago

C and K, the point is that it happened on Mardi Gras night - the one night of the year were lgbt's can celebrate publically who they are. No point in staying home for that! I saw a lot of homophobia on the night. I've been going to the parade for the past five years and have noticed it getting worse each year. I thought things were getting better? sigh.

spacesheep

said ages ago

This is my 1st Mardi Gras in Sydney. I think it's lovely & colorful from someone from S E Asia :-). The police officers & the organisers did a good job. I felt so sorry for those been abused by idiots. Those idiots should go somewhere else if they are not interested in the parade or the community & don't make a fool out of themselves to the overseas visitors.

crazzymikey

said ages ago

someone threw something at me whilst I was marching in the parade

ojil

said ages ago

no one said it was ONLY hetero's. The overwhelming sentiment is that there was and abundance of unwanted behaivour and antisocial goings on. the night is one of celebration centred around the homosexual, bisexual and transgender communities. To advise: "Stay at home", is ridiculous, it contradicts the very purpose and intrinsic message behind mardi gras.

alikat

said ages ago

yeah man - i'm with pioneer_to_the_falls ... please tell us, CandK, why homos should stay at home on mardi gras?

C and K

said ages ago

I meant stay away from the parade if you don't like it. Personally, I don't think it's worth the hassle . I would rather party at home with my friends P.S. if you don't like to read different peoples views then don't enter a forum, Ojil. I also think you're a little hung up on labels. Go chillax dude.

steev0510

said ages ago

I totally agree with all of the above comments, so just wanted to post my experience on here to share. I sat in the BGF Glamstand and had a ball. Great view, awesome commentary by Maxi Shield and Verushka Darling and I really loved the parade. Once it was over we walked back up to Oxford St and couldnt believe what we saw and heard. Young drunk guys, who I assume were straight, yelling obscenities, throwing glass bottles into the crowd and confronting people face on with verbal abuse. Afetr waiting for 2 hrs to get into clubs, we decided to give up and go back to the hotel in Darling Harbour. I had my heart in my mouth the whole way. Groups of guys abusing us, girls walking past us calling us "poofter cunts"... It was like walking through an air curtain with gays on one side and straights on the other. I was dumbfounded and thought that with it being Mardi Gras, the "Boguns" would be a little more tolerant than they usually are. Wow, how wrong was I!!! I'll definitely go to Mardi Gras again, cos I am proud of who I am and love Sydney, but wont be walking anywhere.. It's cabs next time for sure..

ojil

said ages ago

I meant stay away from the parade if you don't like it. Personally, I don't think it's worth the hassle . I would rather party at home with my friends P.S. if you don't like to read different peoples views then don't enter a forum, Ojil. I also think you're a little hung up on labels. Go chillax dude. labels?

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