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NSW police have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and served two driving violation citations for alleged reckless operation after a large group of electric bicycle users converged on the famous Sydney landmark during the busy commute on Tuesday.

The Event: A Prohibited Ride

A gathering of around 40 people riding electric bikes and motorbikes travelled along the bridge’s main deck, an area where bicycle riding is banned. The assembly then turned around and rode through the downtown area and Haymarket.

"There was a risk of serious injury or fatalities," stated NSW police assistant commissioner the officer on Wednesday.

Police indicated they did not chase right away the group due to concerns for public safety but rather found the group at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair near the city gardens, where they dispersed.

Fines Imposed for Content Creator

On Saturday, police announced they had issued the American online personality known as Sur Ronster, 26, with two traffic infringement notices for careless operation (not involving death or prior injury), carrying a penalty of $562 and three demerit points each, connected to the bridge incident. Officials noted that inquiries were continuing.

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

Influencer's Comments

The content creator gave comments to a local publication recently after the incident spread rapidly on news sites and social media, stating he regretted giving "the biking community" a bad reputation.

"I accept the blame. That was one of the safest gatherings I have witnessed," he told the publication. "I’m coming here as a guest, and I intend to abide by the rules and standards of the city. When I decided to do a public meeting it was not meant to include a group ride, it was just to greet people near the bridge."

"I did not know the area well, I am to blame we found ourselves on the bridge and I had two choices: either the group completes the entirety of the bridge and comes back, an illegal act. Or we reverse, essentially, before entering the bridge. I chose at the time to go back."

Broader Context on Electric Bike Rules

The spate of electric bicycles on streets across the country has prompted increasing demands for stricter rules. A senior government official, Mark Butler, recently said that non-compliant electric bikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Young people have engaged in reckless acts on bikes ever since the penny-farthing [but] the injuries that are presenting at our hospital emergency departments are absolutely devastating," he said. "We must ensure we prevent these things coming into the country [and] police are given the powers to crack down, to take them away, to crush them, to dispose of them."

NSW reported over two hundred injuries associated with ebikes in the previous year. But, in the first seven months of the following year, that number jumped to 233 injuries plus four deaths.