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The stabbing of a teenager and dozens of unrelated arrests have marred New Year’s Eve celebrations in Sydney.
Witnesses said a group of males were letting off fireworks in Guildford, in Sydney’s west, before the 17-year-old boy was stabbed in the back about 10.40pm on New Year’s Eve.
He was rushed from Bright Park to hospital in a serious but stable condition but police said the offender fled.
Across the CBD and harbour foreshore areas, police arrested 36 people on suspicion of offences including assault, affray, robbery and knife possession as an estimated 1 million people hit the streets.
Police said more than 205,000 people hit the official vantage points alone and Operation New Year’s Eve commander Assistant Commissioner Peter McKenna said the “vast majority” of people were well behaved.
“Unfortunately, police were kept busy by a handful of revellers doing the wrong thing, but those people were dealt with quickly,” he said.
“The safety of the NSW community is of the utmost importance to us, so for those continuing to celebrate until the morning, we will have police in the air, on the roads and water to ensure it is a night to remember for all the right reasons.”
General duties officers remained out on the streets into the early hours with specialist police from the riot squad, mounted and dog command, PolAir, water police and other divisions.
