Arrests as Extinction Rebellion protesters vandalise Santos building in Adelaide CBD
Two activists involved in this morning’s Santos protests will stay behind bars tonight, The Advertiser can reveal, as two others faced court.
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Two Extinction Rebellion protesters accused of vandalising a cafe at the base of Santos Plaza will spend the night in custody following their arrest on Thursday morning.
The Advertiser can report activists Brad Homewood and Sarah Edwards will be held in the City Watch House overnight because SA Police have yet to finalise the charges against them.
Those charges will include allegations they caused $2000 damage to a police officer’s “full leather” uniform with spraypaint.
Their co-accused, Heike Weber and Ian Fox, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court charged with graffiti and environmental nuisance offending.
Under state law, any person who is arrested and denied police bail must be brought before the court as soon as practicable either on the same or next business day.
Additionally, the court registry does not accept new allegations if filed after 3pm, in order to facilitate case management flow.
Mr Fox, of Flagstaff Hill, faced court first charged with one count of causing an environmental nuisance and one count of disorderly behaviour.
The court heard Mr Fox, a retiree, was accused of causing an environmental nuisance “recklessly” by using “smoke or fumes”.
He asked to be released on bail, which police prosecutors did not oppose – as long as his bail conditions banned him from attending Extinction Rebellion events.
Magistrate John Wells released Mr Fox on $1000 bail, with the Extinction Rebellion ban included.
Ms Weber’s matter, meanwhile, proceeded amid confusion.
The court heard she was charged with marking graffiti and carrying an implement for doing so.
The offences carry maximum penalties of $5000 fines or 12 months’ jail.
Police alleged the damage Ms Weber caused to Santos Plaza’s windows amounted to $4900 – a figure Mr Wells questioned.
“Hang on – almost $5000 to clean a window?” he asked.
Representing herself, Ms Weber, of Victoria, said she did not want bail, would not accept it if granted, and wanted to immediately plead guilty.
“I would like to state why I did what I did,” she said.
“I understand what the consequences could be, I have no criminal history and, from what I understand, a good behaviour bond would probably be sufficient.
“I accept what you’re saying (about bail) but I cannot accept that … I will not accept bail, I want the matter dealt with today.”
However, following an adjournment and discussions with a duty solicitor, Ms Weber changed her position.
“I do not plead guilty to what the prosecution has read out as the allegations, it is not a true account at all,” she said.
“I’m pleading not guilty... I wish to apply for bail.”
Mr Wells released her on $1000 bail and banned her from attending any Extinction Rebellion event or leaving the state.
Protesters arrested outside Santos House
It came after 20 police officers, some on horseback, were outside Parliament House as Extinction Rebellion activists kicked off another round of protesting on Thursday morning.
More than 30 activists gathered on the steps of parliament.
Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young told the protesters it was “time to stand up to the fossil fuel industry”.
“If you care about climate change, it’s time to stop putting fuel on the fire,” she said.
“We are one of the largest exporters of fossil fuels in the world, we have a responsibility to do better and to do more.
“Children in school today are thinking about what the climate is going to be for them when they graduate, and go into the workforce.
“What this shows, is that the worst parts of climate change will happen in all our lifetimes.”
Ms Hanson-Young also addressed proposed new laws that entered parliament earlier on Thursday in a crackdown on disruptive protests.
The new laws would allow for jail time and fines of up to $50,000 – from a current $750 – for protesters who cause community chaos and risk to public safety.
When asked about extreme protests by Extinction Rebellion over the past three days, she said: “Social change doesn’t happen by accident and leadership doesn’t happen by accident.
“People have the right to choose the form of protest and their how they participate long as it’s peaceful,” she said.
The activists later marched up King William St for a rave outside the Adelaide Convention Centre.
Protests frustrate Adelaide traders
Bluprint cafe owner, Frankie Marafioti, whose business is situated inside the Santos building and was caught up in the last protest during January’s Tour Down Under, said he was not expecting protesters to show up outside his coffee shop on Thursday morning.
The business is located on the ground floor of the Santos building, where protesters were stationed.
“You never know what they’re going to do. One day they show up with one person, the next da, they show up with 15 to 20,” he said.
“You never know whether they’re going to glue themselves to the building or whether they’re going to vandalise the building.”
He believed the protesters were entitled to “free speech and (should be allowed to) stand up and say how they feel,” but said they also needed to “think about everyone that they’re affecting.”
Mr Marafioti said Wednesday and Thursday were the “busiest days during the week,” and the protest had substantially affected the business.
He estimated a trade loss of about 30 per cent during the time protesters were outside on Flinders Street.
“We understand that no one can control this. It is, what it is. The police are doing the best they can and Santos is trying to do the best they can as well, but it is what it is,” he said.
“I understand that they’re trying to express how they feel and express what’s happening in the world. But there’s a way of going about that.”
Extinction Rebellion protester and psychologist Jane Morton said the protesters were “like a smoke alarm.”
“We’re in an emergency and unless we act now, we’re looking at billions of deaths and societal collapse,” Ms Morton.
“There are indications that it’s spiralling out of control already and nothing but nothing but an emergency response is actually going to save us at this point.”
“As a psychologist, the research shows that a radical flank like this, makes people angry with us and that makes us more concerned about the climate emergency. Nobody likes a smoke alarm. But it wakes you up,” she said.
After the arrests, other protesters continued holding signs that read ‘your gas is killing us,’ outside the Santos building, while others chanted: “power to the people” or “the system is broken”.
It comes after a climate change protester was charged on Wednesday after causing peak-hour traffic chaos when she suspended herself from a major city bridge.
A crackdown on extreme protesters is now looming as both the government and the Opposition propose tough new laws.
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