A shop owner and customer were arrested in the NSW Southern Highlands after refusing to wear masks, as police implore people across the state to follow lockdown rules.
Deputy Commissioner Gary Worboys said the incident in Bowral highlights continued non-compliance with public health orders, including mandatory mask wearing and travel, as Greater Sydney remains locked down due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
He said the force issued 75 infringement notices and 12 court attendance notices in the last 24 hours.
"It's not on," Deputy Commissioner Worboys told reporters on Friday.
"Right across NSW, we have seen police having to take action against people for breaching public health orders, whether that's in some of the most rural and remote parts of the state or here in Greater Sydney. We will continue to do that while those public health orders are in place."
Police arrived at The Organic Store Bowral on Thursday afternoon, after receiving complaints that staff and customers weren't wearing masks.
Recent posts on the store's social media spruik anti-mask and anti-vaccination messages, with some posts marked by Instagram as missing context or containing "false information".
One Instagram post from August last year shows a sign displayed outside the store which reads, "If you have had any vaccine the last 10 to 14 days, please do not enter!! For hygiene reasons, no masks in store please."
Deputy Commissioner Worboys said the excuse provided was "simply, that they had no belief in the wearing of masks", nor "intention at all in complying with the order".
"it's not on. Police took suitable action," he said.
In a statement, NSW Police said officers observed employees and customers not wearing masks inside the store and spoke with the manager, a 62-year-old woman, who stated she had no intention of complying with current orders.
Police said she was arrested after allegedly refusing to provide her details.
A 61-year-old female customer was also arrested after allegedly entering the store without a mask and refusing to put one on or to leave the store when asked by police.
"The employee intervened, demanding police leave and both women were arrested," the statement said.
As they escorted the women outside to a police vehicle, police said the officers were confronted by a 63-year-old man who allegedly yelled at officers before pulling down a sergeant's mask.
Footage was shared on the store's Instagram page, in a post claiming that police "forcibly arrested the owners without due cause". They went on to say the store "takes a stand against the mandatory mask mandates".
According to the post, police discussed the owners' "reasoning" with them for one-and-a-half hours, before a customer decided to begin filming the interaction.
A screenshot from the video The Organic Store Bowral shared of the arrests. Source: Instagram
"They refused to allow the filming and forcibly tried to remove her from the store," the post says.
The man was charged with assaulting, resisting and inciting to resist or hinder an officer in the execution of duty. He was bailed to appear in local court on 3 August.
The two women were later released, with the younger woman issued a $200 infringement notice for not wearing a mask inside a business or retail premises.
Police said further charges and infringements are expected as inquiries continue.
Also among the infringement notices issued on Thursday were two people who travelled from Sydney to Dubbo and were turned away at the town's Western Plains zoo.
Another person departed Sydney for Brisbane via bus but stopped in Grafton.
Deputy Commissioner Worboys had a message for those not complying with health orders and attempting to travel around the state.
"People are still not adhering to the orders, they're taking their own personal circumstances and desires beyond what is the best for the community," he said on Friday.
"They are examples of where people will contact police, provide information, where police can attend their location, issue them with a proper infringement notice and direct them back to Greater Sydney."
Premier Gladys Berejiklian encouraged her state's residents to report those who aren't complying with lockdown in order to discourage social activity.
"Our success during the lockdown depends on eight million of us ... each of us has a role to play because every time we leave the house, we could have the virus unintentionally," Ms Berejiklian told reporters.
"We're appealing to everybody, if you see something wrong, it is not a bad thing to report it ... compliance is so important during this time."
