Speakers' Corner form was banned following a serious riot between Catholics and Orangemen. However, following the formalisation of free speech in Speakers' Corner in London it was decided in 1878 that The Domain would be the place for free speech in Sydney. In 'Diary of a Voyage to Australia, New Zealand and other lands' (published 1896), Robert Roberts notes that "On the west side [of a particular location] is a feature peculiar to Sydney in all the world - a preaching park. There are of course, parks in other cities where open-air spouting is practiced on Sundays, such as Hyde Park, in
Speakers' Corner, Singapore the move might feed the perception in some quarters that Singapore is a police state, since Speakers' Corner is "the one place in Singapore" where people can demonstrate. Nevertheless, the cameras have not affected various events from being held. With effect from 1 December 2009, the size of Speakers' Corner was reduced so that it only occupies the half of Hong Lim Park nearer New Bridge Road. From 1 March 2012, Speakers' Corner was expanded to include an area behind Kreta Ayer NPP, near the junction of North Canal Road and South Bridge Road. A commemorative birthday memorial was organized