Hostages Being Held In Sydney Chocolate Shop
- Thread starter dcontroversal
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The whole city has NOT been evacuated, they evacuated several blocks, and have set up an exclusion zone, which encompasses the area around Martin Place from Hunter St down to the top of Hyde Park. It is not anywhere near as large as the CBD. In fact, police and the government have said if people have plans in the city that don't involve going into the exclusion zone, they should still feel free to go out. Trains are all still running as normal, except they are not stopping at Martin Place Station, which is in the exclusion zone. They are, however, still running under it.
There is apparently an authentic list of demands, but it has not been reported by the media, because the police have explicitly asked them not to disseminate that information. There have been many posts on social media about what the demands are (many of them conflicting), but we simply don't know. Anything else is pure speculation.
For what it's worth, I suspect this guy envisages himself as part of a wider jihadi movement, but is probably a lone wolf. There hasn't been any solid confirmation of a bomb threat - if there was, I suspect police would be widening the exclusion area and would be discouraging citybound travel, rather than encouraging it.
The US Consulate is, I believe, within spitting distance of the cafe, which would be why they've evacuated it. They've basically been trying all day to clear the area and stop people from being within eyeshot of the cafe.
There is apparently an authentic list of demands, but it has not been reported by the media, because the police have explicitly asked them not to disseminate that information. There have been many posts on social media about what the demands are (many of them conflicting), but we simply don't know. Anything else is pure speculation.
For what it's worth, I suspect this guy envisages himself as part of a wider jihadi movement, but is probably a lone wolf. There hasn't been any solid confirmation of a bomb threat - if there was, I suspect police would be widening the exclusion area and would be discouraging citybound travel, rather than encouraging it.
The US Consulate is, I believe, within spitting distance of the cafe, which would be why they've evacuated it. They've basically been trying all day to clear the area and stop people from being within eyeshot of the cafe.
Take it with a grain of salt. One news organisation (Ten, who are hardly exemplars of journalistic craft) have apparently claimed they've spoken to hostages in the cafe, who said that the gunman claimed he had a total of 4 devices in the cafe and around the city.
First of all, you have to assume Ten actually got in touch with bona fide hostages. Second, you have to assume they accurately relayed what the gunman actually said. Thirdly, you have to assume the gunman was telling the truth, and actually had placed devices around the city.
It's entirely possible there are explosive devices involved (I am MUCH more willing to believe they are only present at the cafe than anywhere else, though). But the police haven't said so. They've had officers wandering around looking in drains and things most of the day, but nothing more urgent then that. If there was a genuine, believeable bomb threat, again, they wouldn't be saying they believe this event to only be limited to the cafe, and they would probably have widened the exclusion zone, particularly at this time of the evening. I doubt they would be running trains or saying people should continue with their plans in the city, either.
At the end of the day, I'd rather err on the side of caution, and be proven wrong, then believe what really only amounts to hearsay and rumours at this point, and then get all amped up about that (which has happened before with these kinds of things). Either way, there's nothing I can personally do about the situation than pray.
First of all, you have to assume Ten actually got in touch with bona fide hostages. Second, you have to assume they accurately relayed what the gunman actually said. Thirdly, you have to assume the gunman was telling the truth, and actually had placed devices around the city.
It's entirely possible there are explosive devices involved (I am MUCH more willing to believe they are only present at the cafe than anywhere else, though). But the police haven't said so. They've had officers wandering around looking in drains and things most of the day, but nothing more urgent then that. If there was a genuine, believeable bomb threat, again, they wouldn't be saying they believe this event to only be limited to the cafe, and they would probably have widened the exclusion zone, particularly at this time of the evening. I doubt they would be running trains or saying people should continue with their plans in the city, either.
At the end of the day, I'd rather err on the side of caution, and be proven wrong, then believe what really only amounts to hearsay and rumours at this point, and then get all amped up about that (which has happened before with these kinds of things). Either way, there's nothing I can personally do about the situation than pray.