Strip search class action notices sent to thousands of festival patrons

NSW Police officers have been accused of "invasively" conducting strip searches at festivals that allegedly constituted assault, battery and false imprisonment over the six-year period.

The class action was filed in July 2022 by Slater and Gordon Lawyers and Redfern Legal Centre after the lead plaintiff Raya Meredith said she was unlawfully strip searched at Byron Bay's Splendour in the Grass music festival in 2018.

More than 100,000 festival-goers have been contacted by Slater and Gordon Lawyers after the NSW Supreme Court ordered that notices be issued to ticket purchasers who attended music festivals across the state.

A trial, expected to run for four weeks, is scheduled to start on May 5, 2025.

"To date, court approved notices have been distributed to more than 100,000 people who purchased tickets for music festivals in NSW during the relevant period," Slater and Gordon class actions associate Jordyn Keating said.

"The notice informs potential group members about the proceeding, explains how they can register their interest if they too were affected or opt out of the claim, should they not wish to be included in the class action.

"This is a standard step in the class action process as we work towards the May 2025 trial date.

"Anyone who has any questions about the class action, or their legal rights in respect of being strip searched at a music festival in NSW between 2016 and 2022, should visit Slater and Gordon's website.

"The firm has a dedicated team available for inquiries related to this proceeding."

Those interested in learning more can visit: https://www.slatergordon.com.au/class-actions/current-class-actions/nsw-strip-search-class-action

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