Police clear Martin Place after gunman holds hostages at Lindt Chocolat CafePolice clear Martin Place after gunman holds hostages at Lindt Chocolat Cafe
Skip to navigation
Skip to content
Help
        using this website - Accessibility statement



JavaScript disabled. Please enable JavaScript to use My News, My Clippings, My Comments and user settings.


My News 


My Clippings 


My Comments 


My Benefits 




Today's Paper


Subscribe


Log in


Register

Personalise your news, save articles to read later and customise settings





If you have trouble accessing our login form below, you can go to our login page.

 

If you have trouble accessing our login form below, you can go to our login page.



 










2:23PM Friday Jan 23, 2015
    27605(0) online now

Do you know more about a story?

contact us

Close

Provide detailed information, including contact details (if relevant)









Real Estate
Cars
Jobs
Dating
Newsletters


Fairfax Media NetworkMore

Close


News & Weather

smh.com.au
theage.com.au
brisbanetimes.com.au
canberratimes.com.au
nationaltimes.com.au
watoday.com.au
weatherzone.com.au



Business & Finance

businessday.com.au
brw.com.au
afr.com
afrmagazine.com.au
smartinvestor.com.au
investsmart.com.au



Lifestyle

life & style
dailylife.com.au
thevine.com.au
essentialbaby.com.au
essentialkids.com.au
findababysitter.com.au
goodfood.com.au



Classifieds

domain.com.au
drive.com.au
adzuna.com.au
rsvp.com.au
stayz.com.au






Advertise with us
Newsletters
Full list of sites
About Fairfax Media
Privacy
Terms & Conditions
















The Sydney Morning Herald


NSW



NSW News



Sydney Traffic



NSW State Election 2015



Quizzes




You are here: Home NSW News 



Search smh:



Search in:


NSW



smh.com.au
Web
NSW












Police clear Martin Place after gunman holds hostages at Lindt Chocolat Cafe



Date


                December 15, 2014




(29)
Comments 4

Read later






Megan Levy, Patrick Begley







Tweet





submit to reddit
Email article

Print


Reprints & permissions














Return to video
Video settings
Please Log in to update your video settings


Video will begin in 5 seconds.

Don't play
Play now



More video
Recommended




Martial arts meets philosophy for aikido women




Shark tagging expedition off Qld coast




Scott Morrison's political bromance 




Belinda's story: a policeman's suicide




Coral trout found off Sydney





Replay video



Return to video
Video settings
Please Log in to update your video settings


Siege hostages 'our number one priority'
"We are doing all we can to set you free" is the message from the Premier and Police Commissioner to those held hostage.
PT3M39S

620
349

Autoplay OnOff
Video feedback
Video settings




Martin Place siege - Live updates
Australia and the world transfixed: Tom Allard
Islamic groups fear backlash
Public transport diverted after Lindt cafe siege
Cafe worker missed siege by moments
Do you know more? Email us your photos or video, or message us on Facebook
Efforts by police to negotiate a peaceful end to a siege of a cafe in the heart of Sydney's CBD are continuing well into the night.Police said they are dealing with an armed man, who has been holding an undisclosed number of hostages at the Lindt Chocolat Cafe in Martin Place since about 9.45am.

                                Face of terror: Suspected gunman with one of the hostages. Photo: Steven Siewert


Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione told an evening media conference that police were in contact with the suspected gunman, adding that "we are only dealing with one location". 
Advertisement


"Our plan, our only goal tonight is to get those people who are currently caught in that building, out of there," Mr Scipione said. "Rest assured, we are doing all we can to set you free."NSW Premier Mike Baird advised people who normally work in the exclusion zone around Martin Place to prepare to "work from home" on Tuesday, implying authorities are preparing for protracted negotiations.

                                A Lindt cafe worker flees to safety. Photo: AP


Mr Scipione declined to comment on a question about the lights being turned off in the cafe.  He added that "police will be out there" to ensure communities were given "confidence"."Clearly, reprisal attacks are something that should not happen," Mr Scipione said.Tom Steinfort, a Channel Nine journalist tweeted a picture of a rabbi, priest and imam holding a prayer session in Lakemba, in Sydney's south-west:

                                Two hostages run to safety outside the Lindt cafe. Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images



  " 
 @tomsteinfort: An Imam,Rabbi & priest have held joint prayer session for the hostages at Lakemba Mosque 
 #sydneysiege
pic.twitter.com/auO34D9RwT — ❤Ruba Gs (@GsRuba) 
 December 15, 2014
A group of 40 groups representing NSW's Islamic community issued a statement expressing their "utter shock and horror at the unprecedented scenes" from Martin Place."We reject any attempt to take the innocent life of any human being, or to instill fear and terror into their hearts," the statement said. "This is a time for all Australians to stand together and support each other."

                                The location of the cafe and its proximity to buildings of note nearby.

Australians are responding to the call, taking to social media site Twitter with the hashtag, #illridewithyou to rally support for Muslim members of the community.Five hostages escapeEarlier, five hostages managed to flee the cafe, hours after the gunman first holed himself up in the store and forced hostages to display an Islamic flag. 

                                A screengrab apparently showing a jihadi flag being flown inside the Lindt Chocolat Cafe. Photo: Channel Seven


Police Commissioner Scipione said that he understood one of the hostages who got out subsequently went to hospital, but that was for a pre-existing condition, not a injury from today's ordeal.He declined to discuss the motive of the armed man, or whether the five who had fled had been released or had managed to escape.Police have cordoned off an exclusion zone around the building. Apart from the affected area, people should go about their usual business in the city, police said.

                                NSW Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn addresses the media on Monday afternoon. Photo: Kate Geraghty


Hostages 'rotated'Earlier, Chris Reason, a journalist from Channel Seven which occupies a nearby building, said in posts to social media site Twitter that the gunman appeared to be rotating hostages, forcing them to stand against windows for as long as two hours at a time.From inside Martin Place newsroom, we've counted around 15 hostages - not 50 - mix of women, men, young, old - but no children. — Chris Reason (@ChrisReason7) December 15, 2014

                                Armed police at Martin Place. Photo: Daniel Munoz/Fairfax Media


Mr Reason said the gunman could be seen clearly, wearing "a white shirt, black cap, unshaven, holds [possible] pump action shotgun".
  From inside Martin Place we can see the faces of hostages - pained, strained, eyes red and raw. One young am with head in hands — Chris Reason (@ChrisReason7) 
 December 15, 2014
Five hostages escape

                                Police with guns drawn in Martin Place in a screengrab. Photo: Channel Seven


Deputy Police Commissioner Catherine Burn told a separate evening media conference the situation involved "negotiation" with the armed person.She said the approach was to deal with the situation "peacefully." "It might take a bit of time but that is our approach," Ms Burn said. "We will be working into the night if this situation continues and we will be looking at arrangements for tomorrow."Police have requested that media outlets do not report the gunman's demands. This article has been updated to remove earlier references to the reported demands.

                                Crowds hurry away.  Photo: Peter Rae


Earlier, two female cafe workers ran from the building at about 5pm. Three men escaped about an hour earlier. The women, appeared to be aged in their 20s, ran out of the cafe a few seconds apart and into the arms of police officers. One of the two appeared to collapse as she rounded the corner from Martin Place into Elizabeth Street.They fled from an office foyer on Martin Place that adjoins the cafe. Both were wearing brown Lindt aprons.




Click for more photos


Martin Place Siege
Martin Place Siege Photo: Rob Griffith/AP





































































View all 36 photos


Television footage of the men showed two of them running from the front of cafe on Martin Place. A third, dressed in what appeared to be a Lindt uniform, is shown escaping out a side door on Phillip Street.A heavily armed police officer left the building after the men.Police negotiators have made contact: Burn

                                Martin Place Siege exclusion zone Photo: NSW government


At an earlier media briefing, Deputy Police Commissioner Burn confirmed three male hostages had made it out."We do not have any information to suggest anyone has been harmed at this stage," she said. "Police negotiators have had contact and will continue to have contact."She also said police could not confirm how many people remained inside the Lindt cafe in Martin Place, but it was fewer than 30.At that earlier briefing, Ms Burn said police did not yet know why the gunman was taking the action he has."Those motivations are not known and it would not be good to speculate," she said."We know have numerous police working on who this person is and what those motivations might be."LockdownSydney's CBD has been in lockdown since the siege began at about 9.45am on a sparklingly sunny Monday morning.In extraordinary and terrifying scenes, hostages could be seen through the cafe's windows with their hands held in the air, while heavily armed police surrounded the building.A number of hostages were being forced to hold an Islamic flag against the window. The flag appears to be a Shahada flag, not an Islamic State flag, but is associated with Islamist and jihadist movements.Thousands of workers across the city were sent home early and some of the city's major buildings evacuated.They include the Opera House, the State Library, Channel Seven, the NSW parliamentary executive offices, the NSW Supreme Court's criminal courts, the Downing Centre, and several city legal chambers.An unknown number of staff and customers are being held at gunpoint inside the cafe. It was earlier reported that 20 hostages were being held.Baird, Abbott and Shorten speakNSW Premier Baird said: "We are being tested today in Sydney.""The police are being tested, the public is being tested, but whatever the test we will face it head-on and we will remain a civil, democratic society," he said. "All my thoughts and prayers are with those members of the public affected by the situation in Martin Place and the NSW Police who are trained to deal with these events."In a nationally televised address, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he could think of "almost nothing more distressing, more terrifying than to be caught up in such a situation"."Our hearts go out to these people," he said."We have to appreciate that, even in a society such as ours, there are people who would wish to do us harm. "Australia is a peaceful, open and generous society. Nothing should ever change that and that's why I would urge all Australians today to go about their business as usual."He said the National Security Committee of Cabinet has convened for briefings on the situation.Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said Australians were shocked "but we won't be shaken". "At times like this it is more critical than ever that the Australian community be solid, stick together and be united," he said. Blue sports bagA woman is believed to have raised the alarm at 9.44am when she saw a man outside the cafe carrying a blue sports bag with a gun inside.Just before 12.30pm, police tackled a man to the ground about 200 metres from the cafe and a police officer was seen with his foot on what appeared to be a small black handgun. However, police later said the arrest was not related to the siege.The cafe is right in the middle of the banking and retail district, and is usually packed with Christmas shoppers at this time of year.The federal government has been warning for months that a terrorist attack in Australia could happen.Channel Seven evacuatedThe Channel Seven newsroom, which faces Martin Place, was evacuated, along with the Macquarie Bank and Westpac offices in the area.The Martin Place studio is Seven's main newsroom and is home to breakfast show Sunrise and The Morning Show, which was on air when news of the siege broke about 9.45am.The network was originally running a live-stream of the siege, but was asked to take it down for security reasons.It is unknown if any Seven staff are among the hostages. Channel Seven has shifted its network operations to Melbourne during the siege.State Parliament, which is one block away from the cafe, has also been closed to the public, while David Jones' flagship store in the city was also evacuated.Office workers as far away as Circular Quay reported that they were being sent home just before midday.Police said office workers on Hunter, George, Elizabeth and Macquarie streets bordering Martin Place had been told to stay indoors and away from open windows. Anyone outside that area was free to leave their buildings.Trains between Central and Bondi Junction were initially stopped, but the Transport Management Centre said services resumed about 10.45am. However, Martin Place train station has been closed and trains are not stopping there.A spokesman for federal Transport Minister Warren Truss said: "The airspace over the Sydney CBD is not in shut down. There are choppers in the air and air traffic is being rerouted according. At this stage no impact on the air traffic network."The Department of Education and Communities' Safety and Security Unit has notified public schools of the hostage situation.All schools have been asked to assume "white level" lockout, which means no school group is to leave the school grounds.Journalist in shopJournalist Chris Kenny, who was in the Lindt cafe about 20 minutes before the siege began, said he understood the automatic glass sliding doors had been disabled."I did speak to a couple of people who saw a bit more of this unfold than I did," he said."One woman said she tried to go into the shop just after I came out with my takeaway coffee but the doors wouldn't open."So obviously whoever is doing this has disabled the automatic glass sliding doors to stop anyone else going in and she said immediately she could see there was a weapon."She mentioned it being taken out of a blue bag and people were straight away asked to put up their hands."A man who gave his name only as Bruno said he'd worked in the cafe for six months."I was supposed to start at 10am," he said while visibly shaken.That was about 15 minutes after the siege started and he was unable to get inside.Ray HadleyBroadcaster Ray Hadley claimed on Monday to have spoken on the phone to one of the hostages.Hadley said on 2GB that the male hostage was "remarkably calm" when relaying information over the phone from the gunman about 1pm on Monday.Hadley said he could hear the gunman talking in the background during the phone conversation.The gunman wanted the hostage to speak live on radio, a demand that Hadley said he refused.There have since been reports that Hadley has spoken to the hostage again. In September this year, police conducted a series of major anti-terrorism raids across Sydney. Following those raids, police alleged Islamic extremists were planning to behead a person in Martin Place in Sydney's CBD.Shortly after the siege began, the US Consulate sent an "emergency message" to its citizens warning them to stay away from Martin Place.The message read: "US citizens are strongly encouraged to review your personal security plan, remain aware of your surroundings including local events, and monitor local news stations for updates. Maintain a high level of vigilance and take appropriate steps to enhance your personal security."Lawyers, courts evacuatedThe NSW Supreme Court's criminal courts on King Street in the CBD have been evacuated, as has have scores of staff from the NSW Crown Solicitor's office.A number of prominent barristers' chambers have also been evacuated, including the Seventh Floor Garfield Barwick Chambers in Martin Place and the Wentworth Chambers.  Other legal chambers such as Sir Owen Dixon have been locked down, along with dozens of government and commercial buildings in the blocks surrounding the siege, including the Reserve Bank and the NSW Department of Transport.Some staff say they have been moved out of their offices to the "safe" side of their buildings, away from the café.A NSW Police motorcyclist was involved in an accident with another vehicle just after 11am on the Cahill Expressway, resulting in the closure of some approaches to the bridge.The motorcyclist was treated by paramedics before the road reopened a short time later.
  Police guns drawn. Crowds pushed further back. All unfolding directly across from 7 newsroom. Frightening. Up to dozen people inside. — Chris Kenny (@chriskkenny) 
 December 14, 2014

  Police clear Martin Place between Elizabeth and Macquarie. Customers still hands up against window - police in vests swarm - more on way. — Chris Kenny (@chriskkenny) 
 December 14, 2014

  Hold up of some kind in Lindt coffee shop. Just after I walked out. People with arms in air against window. Horrible. Stay away. — Chris Kenny (@chriskkenny) 
 December 14, 2014
- with AAP, James Robertson, Paul Bibby, Tim Elliot, Emma Partridge and Peter Hannam
    


















Tweet





submit to reddit
Email article

Print


Reprints & permissions










Advertisement





Related Coverage




Martin Place Siege




Siege hostages 'our number one priority'






                Most popular
            



1




Circular Quay evacuated after package found on ...


Contains:




2




Royal Commission to publicly examine Sydney ...


Contains:




3




Sydney man Alex Pollard charged over alleged ...


Contains:




4




'Suspicious package' on ferry that shut down ...


Contains:




5




Gunman told Sydney siege survivor she had 15 ...


Contains:










LATEST VIDEO

Featured Videos More video




Martial arts meets philosophy for aikido women
Hundreds of aikido students from around the world gather in Melbourne for an intense week of training to mark 50 years of the sport in Australia, ahead of a demonstration in Fed Square on Saturday. 
PT4M7S

300
169
Thu Jan 22 22:33:10 UTC 2015





Click to play video

Newman promises 2654 health workers" 




Click to play video

Shark tagging expedition off Qld coast" 




Click to play video

Boy found after parents murdered" 













Featured advertisers









Special offers



View these special deals by Mozo.













Advertisement









Real Estate



Inside Michael Clarke's home

Domain.com.au
Buy real estate
How much is my house worth?
Euro investors eye market




Jobs



Find your perfect job today

Adzuna.com.au
What is Adzuna?
Where are all the jobs?
Jobs blog




Real Estate



Inside Michael Clarke's home

Domain.com.au
Buy real estate
How much is my house worth?
FREE Property Newsletter




Relationships



Australia's Favourite Dating Site

Rsvp.com.au
Chat Online With Singles
Online Dating
Meet New RSVP Members




Dating



Australia's Favourite Dating Site

Rsvp.com.au
Meet someone special on RSVP
Get started for free!
Singles events for all ages






Compare and Save

Skip to:

Best Deals
Mobile
Broadband
Home Loans
Credit Cards
Low Rate Cards
Rewards Cards
Savings Accts
Money Deals
Loans


Check out today's best deals

0% p.a. for 16 Months

Enjoy a low rate on balance transfers. Conditions apply

Find Out More


Need a Personal Loan?

No monthly fees + no penalties for early repayments

Find Out More


Boost your Savings

Compare savings accounts from leading lenders today

Compare Now


iPhone 6

We compare all carriers and deals

Compare Deals


Deals for 2015

Switching networks or staying, we compare it

Compare Deals























Readers' most viewed

Most viewed articles on Brisbane TimesTop 5 NSW articles


Police arrest husband of woman found dead in shopping centre car park


William Spedding says he had nothing to do with disappearance of toddler William Tyrell


Caravan park searched in the hunt for missing toddler William Tyrell


Female doctor suspended for having sex with patient, using Facebook to share blood test results


Gunman told Sydney siege survivor she had 15 minutes to live




Most viewed articles on WA TodayTop 5 NSW articles


Body of Renee Mitchell found after being taken while cooking family meal


Female doctor suspended for having sex with patient, using Facebook to share blood test results


Slain woman had tried to support abusive husband


Gunman told Sydney siege survivor she had 15 minutes to live


Sydney siege: 'Terribly disappointing' that hostages have sold their stories, says Jeff Kennett




Most viewed articles on The AgeTop 5 NSW articles


Gunman told Sydney siege survivor she had 15 minutes to live


William Spedding's children back him over disappearance of William Tyrell 


Shark eats whale and snake swims through flags on the NSW coast


Police arrest husband of woman found dead in shopping centre car park


William Spedding says he had nothing to do with disappearance of toddler William Tyrell




Most viewed articles on Canberra TimesTop 5 NSW articles


Woman faces court accused of throwing poo during dispute


Gunman told Sydney siege survivor she had 15 minutes to live


Boy airlifted from Merimbula after being 'dumped' at Pambula Beach


'Suspicious package' on ferry that shut down Circular Quay was a training device


Sydney man Alex Pollard charged over alleged $37,000 spending spree




Most viewed articles on The Sydney Morning HeraldTop 5 NSW articles


William Spedding says he had nothing to do with disappearance of toddler William Tyrell


'Suspicious package' on ferry that shut down Circular Quay was a training device


Gunman told Sydney siege survivor she had 15 minutes to live


Woman faces court accused of throwing poo during dispute


Royal Commission to publicly examine Sydney private school Knox Grammar over child sexual abuse









SMH Home


NSW


Politics


World


National


Environment


Business


Digital Life


Entertainment


Life & Style


Travel


Cars


Exec Style


Sport


Weather





Sydney Morning Herald


Sitemap


About Us


Contact Us


Advertise with Us


AM Today


Last 8 days


Text Version


Site Accessibility Guide





Connect


Mobile Site


SMH for iPad


Digital Edition


RSS


Facebook


Twitter


LinkedIn





Products & Services


Subscribe


Manage My Subscription


My Benefits


Good Food Guide


SMH Shop


Newsletters


Cracka Wines





Classifieds


Place an Ad


Accommodation


Cars


Dating


Jobs


Property Price Data


Real Estate


Buy and Sell


Tributes


Celebrations


Special Reports





Fairfax Media


Member Centre


Conditions of Use


Privacy Policy


News Store Archive


Photo Sales


Purchase Front Pages


Fairfax Syndication


Fairfax Events


Fairfax Careers


Press Council













Fairfax Media

Our Sites


The Sydney Morning Herald


The Age


Adzuna


Domain


Drive


RSVP


Essential Baby


InvestSMART


APM


Stayz


Weatherzone


TheVine

Our Partners


Buy & Sell


Cruises


Lawyers


Credit Cards


Business


Mechanics


Electricians


Fitness


Hair Salons


Weddings


Home Builder


Cracker


Copyright © 2015 Fairfax Media











































































