The NSW Police Force is facing a class action lawsuit led by Raya Meredith, representing over 3,000 individuals allegedly subjected to unlawful strip searches at music festivals from 2016 to 2022, due to a failure in officer training and supervision. The lawsuit claims that these invasive searches, including one involving a minor, lacked legal compliance, with Meredith’s experience at a 2018 Byron Bay festival being described as degrading and unlawful, acknowledged by the police in court. The case highlights a concerning trend of increasing strip searches amidst declining overall police searches, emphasizing the need for adherence to statutory guidelines.
