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NSW police have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and served two traffic infringement notices for reported negligent driving after a swarm of electric bicycle users gathered on the famous Sydney landmark during the busy commute on Tuesday.

The Incident: An Illegal Gathering

A group of approximately 40 people riding e-bikes and motorcycles proceeded along the primary roadway of the bridge, an area where bicycle riding is banned. The riders subsequently reversed direction and traveled through the downtown area and a nearby district.

"This had potential for serious injury or fatalities," remarked NSW police assistant commissioner the officer on Wednesday.

Police said they did not chase right away the riders out of concerns for public safety but rather found the assembly at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the Botanic Gardens, where they dispersed.

Fines Imposed for Influencer

Later in the week, authorities announced they had issued the US social media influencer known as the influencer, twenty-six, with two traffic infringement notices for careless operation (with no death or previous bodily harm), with a penalty of $562 and penalty points each, connected to the bridge incident. Officials noted that inquiries were continuing.

The influencer reportedly has more than 3.4 million followers on YouTube and more than 1.2 million on the social media app.

Creator's Response

The content creator spoke with a major newspaper this week following the event spread rapidly on digital platforms, saying he regretted giving "the biking community" a bad reputation.

"I accept the blame. That was one of the safest gatherings I’ve ever seen," he told the publication. "I’m coming here as a guest, and I intend to abide by the rules and standards of Sydney. So when I decided to do a public meeting it was not meant to include a ride-out, it was just to say hi under the bridge."

"I’m unfamiliar with the city, it was my fault we found ourselves on the bridge and I had a decision to make: whether the group rides the full length of the bridge and turns around, an illegal act. Or we turn around, basically, before we’re on the bridge. And I made the decision at the time to turn around."

Broader Context on Electric Bike Rules

The spate of electric bicycles on roads nationwide has sparked growing calls for stricter rules. The federal health minister, Mark Butler, commented that illegal ebikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Kids have done reckless acts on bikes ever since the early bicycle [but] the injuries that are coming into our ERs are absolutely devastating," the minister stated. "We’ve got to make sure we stop these things coming into the country [and] officers are granted the authority to take strong action, to take them away, to crush them, to dispose of them."

NSW recorded 226 injuries associated with electric bikes in 2024. But, in the initial half of the following year, that number surged to 233 injuries plus four deaths.