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.
Sydney lockout laws
In a letter to Premier Gladys Berejiklian, Cr Forster, the sister of former prime minister Tony Abbott, said the lockouts have taken an immense toll on the city’s late-night economy, already resulting in the closure of many businesses and threatening the future of scores more.” Lord Mayor Clover Moore also supports reversing the lockouts. The restrictions have overseen a decline in patronage in parts of the city. Numerous venues along the iconic LGBTQI strip Oxford Street have shut their doors.