Revellers have kept the party going as clean-up crews moved in after Sydney’s Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade.
Some will be waking up on Sunday with undoubtedly sore heads while others may not have made it to bed yet after the famous party weekend.
Rainbow confetti and costume debris lined Oxford Street in inner Sydney after the parade on Saturday night.
Beer cans and shattered glass were also seen along the route.
The parade was labelled a ‘success’ despite pro-Palestine protestors hijacking part of the night and disrupting the event just metres away from NSW premier Chris Minns. Eight people have since been charged.
One attendee shared a short clip showing the litter left in the wake of the massive parade.
Sydney Mardi Gras revellers faced the light of day on Sunday following a hectic night full of colour, sequins and celebrating
Partygoers made their way home from the city after a night of Mardi Gras events celebrating Sydney’s LGBTQI community
Huge rubbish formed around Sydney as thousands of revellers spent the night enjoying Mardi Gras events throughout the city
Rainbow confetti and costume debris lined Oxford Street in Sydney’s inner-city after the Mardi Gras parade on Saturday night
Sydney’s streets were left covered in rubbish from the night’s festivities with one attendee making a ‘note to self’ on not leaving his car in the city during Mardi Gras
An estimated 120,000 spectators and 12,500 participants joined 200 floats for the 2024 Sydney Mardi Gras parade on Saturday night
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‘Note to self, if there’s ever a Mardi Gras do not park your car on the street,’ he joked.
As festivities raged on, clean-up crews were quick to get to work, racing to get banners off barricades as the parade concluded.
Their hard work continued on Sunday morning with cleaners seen sweeping confetti and feathers from the streets.
The party continued at post parade events around Sydney.
Tensions in the lead-up over the participation of NSW Police in the parade culminated in a positive reception as uniformed police flanked plain-clothed gay and lesbian liaison officers marching alongside Commissioner Karen Webb and Police Minister Yasmin Catley.
A brief scuffle earlier broke out between police and pro-Palestinian protesters.
Police quickly shut down a group of pro-Palestine protesters who stole the spotlight from New South Wales Premier Chris Minns
Nine people were arrested during the brief scuffle, a man and eight women, but only eight were charged once brought back to Surry Hills Police Station
The protest group, armed with flares and banners, burst into the parade in front of New South Wales Premier Chris Minns’ Rainbow Labor float but were quickly shut down by police
Several marchers also drew attention to the war in Gaza by carrying Palestinian flags and signs calling to ‘free Palestine’
The protest stole the spotlight from Chris Minns’ historic moment as became the first NSW Premier to march in the Mardi Gras parade
The group, armed with red and green flares and banners, burst into the parade in front of Mr Minns’ Rainbow Labor float but were quickly shut down by police.
‘Queer Solidarity with Palestinian Resistance’ one of the banners read.
The protest briefly drew attention away from Mr Minn’s historic act becoming the first sitting premier to march in the parade.
Dramatic footage captured the moment police intervened and dragged protestors away from the scene.
Nine people were arrested during the short incident and taken back to Surry Hills Police Station.
Eight – 25-year-old man and seven women aged 29, 31, 35, 38, 39, 41 and 42 – were charged with using more than three people to use violence to cause fear.
The man was also charged with possessing a bright light distress signal in a public place.
The remaining person, a 29-year-old woman, was released pending further investigation.
An estimated 120,000 spectators and 12,500 participants attended theMardi Gras parade with many still in the city as the sun rose on Sunday
Workers were seen sweeping confetti and feathers from the streets of Sydney city on Sunday morning following Saturday’s parade
Thousands of revellers kept the party going following the large parade with several afterparties held throughout Sydney city
Bins around Sydney were left overflowing from revellers’ rubbish – including food, drinks, costume debris and parade merchandise
Some will be waking up on Sunday with undoubtedly sore heads while others may not have made it to bed yet after the famous party weekend
NSW Police assistant commissioner Anthony Cooke said of attendees: ‘The majority of people were well-behaved and enjoyed the event safely and responsibly’
Massive amounts of rubbish were left behind by thousands of revellers who flocked to the city for the Mardi Gras parade on Saturday night
The short protest upstaged the Premier’s historic moment as he became the first Premier of NSW to march in the Mardi Gras parade.
Several marchers also drew attention to the war in Gaza by carrying Palestinian flags and signs calling to ‘free Palestine’.
However, the parade continued with no further hiccups and saw 200 colourful floats ride alongside thousands of marchers.
‘Yesterday’s celebration was a great example of a successful Mardi Gras event. The majority of people were well-behaved and enjoyed the event safely and responsibly,’ operation commander, NSW Police assistant commissioner Anthony Cooke said.
While there were no major incidents, police arrested seven men and two women for entering the parade route as Premier Chris Minns approached, police said. All nine were taken to Surry Hills police station, with inquiries continuing.
One reveller joked Sydneysiders should never ‘park your car on the street’ during Mardi Gras events due to the large amount of rubbish left behind
Police were uninvited from participating in the march after an officer was charged with the murder of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies
Rainbow merchandise celebrating Sydney’s LGBTQI community were left around the city for workers to clear on Sunday morning
NSW Police assistant commissioner Anthony Cooke said: ‘Yesterday’s celebration was a great example of a successful Mardi Gras event’
New South Wales Police said there were no further major incidents on Saturday following the pro-Palestinian parade interruption
The recent murder of Luke Davies and Jesse Baird by a NSW Police officer intensified the ongoing debate about police presence in the parade, stemming back to its response to the first event in 1978
As festivities raged on, clean-up crews were quick to get to work, racing to get banners off barricades as the parade concluded
An estimated 120,000 spectators and 12,500 participants attended the event, said police.
Police were uninvited from the march after an officer was charged with the alleged murder of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies, intensifying the ongoing debate about police presence in the parade, stemming back to the response to the first event in 1978.
Tributes to the pair took place throughout the parade.
First held more than four decades ago as a protest against discrimination, the Sydney Mardi Gras has become one of the world’s largest LGBTQI events.
READ MORE: Anti-cop protesters get the Sydney Mardi Gras parade off to a heated start
