2014 Sydney hostage crisis
After the siege began, a staged exclusion zone was established with thousands of people evacuated from nearby buildings, including from the floors above the café. The Sydney Opera House was evacuated after a suspicious package was found; however, reports were unconfirmed by police. The US Consulate General in Sydney, located in Martin Place, was also evacuated. Some Sydney schools were put in "white level lockout" due to the hostage situation, which meant that no school group was permitted to leave the school grounds.
Occupy Sydney
By approximately mid-April 2013 Occupy Sydney made a major part of its work "The 24-7 Homeless Hungry and Cold Peoples Resource", providing hot food and drinks, blankets and clothes, 24 hours a day, to those who needed them. The Occupation site became known to Australia Post as 56a Martin Place, Sydney, adjacent to the Channel Seven television studios.