[Kazanne]

It's on SKY news live now,bloody horrific situation

[T*]

My colleague Calla Wahlquist is at Martin Place, where a cafe is under siege in Sydney with a flag with Arabic writing has been hung in the window. She says a man who appears to be a priest has been escorted into the building.

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[T*]

Live stream:

Youtube video

[T*]

AAP is filing footage from Martin Place where police have been evacuating buildings and moving people away from the siege.

Youtube video

[Ninastar]

got a ****ing job interview tomorrow and now i wont be able to sleep

FFS

[T*]

A bit of background on Martin Place in Sydney where a cafe is under siege with staff and customers taken hostage by people who hung a black flag with white writing in the window:

Martin Place is the business and banking centre of Sydney.

The Reserve Bank of Australia is on Martin Place, while the state Parliament House sits up the top of the Martin Place on Macquarie Street. Government ministers have their offices in nearby in Governor Macquarie Tower – buildings which they share with Sydney’s top law firms. Channel Seven has a recording studio in the middle of Martin Place and the high end retailers – including those housed in the historic GPO building - are clustered towards the George Street end.

At night Martin Place bars are full of bankers, lawyers, politicians, their advisers and the media. Likewise – during the day – coffee shops such as Lindt are popular meeting spots. - from Brigid Delaney

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[T*]

There are worries that the area would of been jam packed as it currently is summer holiday in Aus

[Drew.]

Can you tell me what the scene is currently like outside of the cafe Tom

[T*]

Originally Posted by SaintAlexis

Can you tell me what the scene is currently like outside of the cafe Tom

All windows of the cafe have people looking outside of them i think
for more info click this sky news live feed

Youtube video

[Kazanne]

Another police response at The Opera House apparently after suspicious package found

[Locke.]

Originally Posted by Mistletom

It's scary, what if it happens close to home like in Liverpool 1 or the trafford centre, it's horrid as I could be put in one of these situations.

They know not to mess with us, southport is more likely

[T*]

SKY NEWS is saying the hostage takers want to talk to the prime minister, Tony Abbott, live on air on radio and has set explosive devices around the city

[T*]

Originally Posted by KoloToure

They know not to mess with us, southport is more likely

Why would you even say that?

[GypsyGoth]

I just put in on the news

I hope they use sometype of knockout gas and save the hostages.

[Drew.]

This is going to go on for bloody ages

[King Gizzard]

They're surely going to have to pay a ransom whatever that may be, they can't have people dying on live television coverage

[GypsyGoth]

I work in a cafe, this is mental.

[T*]

y colleague, Shalailah Medhora, is at parliament house in Canberra. She reports:

Just spoke to the Speaker’s office re: Parliamentary security. They beefed up security in October, adding armed officers inside the building as well as outside. They’ll take advice from security agencies as to whether they need to increase security today - so far they’re sticking with the security they’ve already got. Speaker Bronwyn Bishop’s office reiterates: “Parliament House is safe”.

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[T*]

The Deputy Prime Minister’s office has refuted reports Sydney’s airspace is closed. The airspace over Sydney CBD is not in shut down. There are police helicopters in the air so air traffic is being rerouted accordingly.

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[T*]

From social media:

Unconfirmed: It appears the terrorist is wearing a backpack and vest. Speculation that he is wearing a bomb and/or a Kevlar vest

[Ninastar]

Originally Posted by GypsyGoth

I work in a cafe, this is mental.

my god...

thats so crazy, i didnt think of that

[Cal.]

This is awful.

[GypsyGoth]

Originally Posted by Urwreatha

my god...

thats so crazy, i didnt think of that

I feel ill, it's so horrible. I totally agree with you, these terrorists are savages, there's no reasoning with them. I really hopes this ends well, but I fear that won't happen.

[Drew.]

Any survivors should be demanding free Lindt chocolate for life

[T*]

Originally Posted by SaintAlexis

Any survivors should be demanding free Lindt chocolate for life

It's not Lindt's fault though.