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Hundreds of protesters gathered at the Sydney Opera House, torches in hand, to disrupt and protest the controversial draw of the draw for the Everest horse race on the sails of the building the most recognizable country.
Protesters lit torches on the World Heritage structure, seeking to interfere with the exhibition, and chanted "not for sale" and "which house? Our house".
The protest took place after almost a week of heated debate over the projected projections by Racing New South Wales, which were backed by the New South Wales government last Friday after the concerted pressure from Alan Tel, the Daily Telegraph and of 2GB.
More than a quarter of a million people have signed a petition calling on the state government to reconsider its decision.
A large police presence patrolled the land and water, while riot officers cordoned off areas closer to the water.
The event was mostly in a good mood. When the sails finally light up around 7:30 pm, the crowd screamed, chanting "not a fucking billboard", "boring" and "the graphics are shit".
Omar Dabbagh
(@Omar_Dabbagh)And it's gone. The draw of the Everest horse race has been the subject of controversy over the Sydney Opera House. Songs and cries summed up criticism echoing his footsteps. @SBSNews pic.twitter.com/JMo9JwbySj
Wendy Aylward, of Arncliffe, told the Guardian that she had come to the protest to send a message to the government.
"We are all here to show how much we think the Opera should not be used in this way," she said. "Personally, I think Alan Jones' influence is overestimated, but I'm really concerned about the marketing of the building."
Her friend Jo Fraser, of Enmore, added that politicians seemed to have misjudged the opposition to the screening.
"I mean when the Prime Minister calls [the Opera House] a billboard is a bit disturbing, "she said.
"I'm not against things like the Wallabies or the rugby league celebrated [on the sails] but it's a little different. I mean it's an obstacle. Why do you care about barrier draws, except for betting? I think the slope is really slippery. "
Citing security concerns, Racing NSW kept secret the official draw of the barrier and suspended bets on the race, undermining the initial intention of the lighting.
The torches – and what appeared to be spotlights coming from behind the Harbor Bridge – were no match for the projections from the passenger terminal on the other side of Circular Quay.
The screening lasted about half an hour and ended with a series of shouts of joy and hymns from "we love you Louise" – a reference to the opera master Louise Herron , who opposed the demonstration.
During the brief press conference, Jenny Leong, MP for Newtown Greens, told the demonstrators that the protesters had "drawn a line in the sand" and stood up against "a shock that runs this city".
"People have talked enough about bullying, enough of the idea that powerful people can buy this city," she said.
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