“Police have been in attendance and have controlled the situation from very early this morning,” said Scipione, the police commissioner.
“We are at this stage continuing to secure and make sure that we are doing all we can to bring this to a peaceful outcome.” Abbott said the National Security Committee of Cabinet met to be briefed on the situation.
“The whole point of politically motivated violence is to scare people out of being themselves,” Abbott said. “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.”
