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NSW police have levied a penalty against an US-based online influencer and handed out two driving violation citations for reported negligent driving after a swarm of e-bike riders gathered on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during peak-hour traffic on Tuesday.

The Event: An Illegal Gathering

A gathering of around 40 individuals riding e-bikes and motorcycles travelled along the bridge’s main deck, an area where bicycle riding is banned. The riders subsequently reversed direction and traveled through the downtown area and a nearby district.

"This had a risk of serious injury or fatalities," remarked a senior police official the officer on Wednesday.

Law enforcement said they did not chase right away the riders out of concerns for public safety but rather found the group at a scenic Sydney lookout near the Botanic Gardens, where they dispersed.

Penalties Issued for Influencer

On Saturday, authorities announced they had served the American online personality known as the influencer, twenty-six, with two violation tickets for negligent driving (with no death or previous bodily harm), with a fine of $562 and three demerit points each, in relation to the bridge ride-out. They added that inquiries were continuing.

The personality reportedly has over 3.4 million subscribers on one platform and over 1.2 million on the social media app.

Creator's Response

The online figure spoke with a major newspaper this week after the incident gained traction on digital platforms, stating he was sorry for giving "the biking community" a negative image.

"I accept the blame. It was among the safest gatherings I’ve ever seen," he said. "I’m coming here as a guest, so I’m going to come here respecting the rules and standards of Sydney. When I decided to do a public meeting it did not involve a ride-out, it was just to greet people under the bridge."

"I did not know the area well, I am to blame we ended up on the bridge and I had a decision to make: whether the group completes the entirety of the bridge and comes back, which is a crime. Or we reverse, basically, before we’re on the bridge. I chose at the time to go back."

Broader Context on E-Bike Regulation

The spate of e-bikes on roads nationwide has sparked increasing demands for regulation. The federal health minister, Mark Butler, commented that illegal ebikes were a "complete hazard on the road."

"Kids have done stupid things on bikes since the invention of the penny-farthing [but] the harm that are coming into our ERs are truly severe," he stated. "We’ve got to ensure we prevent these things entering the country [and] police are given the powers to take strong action, to confiscate them, to crush them, to destroy them."

NSW recorded 226 injuries associated with electric bikes in the previous year. However, in the first seven months of 2025, that number jumped to 233 injuries plus four fatalities.