Pine Gap: Two charges dropped against protesters accused of blocking entry to military facility
Protesters who sought to uncover a top secret military base in the Red Centre they say is ‘aiding and abetting the crime of genocide’ will now have to wait until next year for a chance to do so. Find out why.
Northern Territory
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Two charges have been dropped against protesters of a top secret military base in the Red Centre, who are turning the tables on their court case and accusing a top secret military base of “aiding and abetting the crime of genocide”.
Originally scheduled to begin on Tuesday, but adjourned to Wednesday – where it was again adjourned – the hearing for Alexandra Elizabeth Walker, 33, and Carmen Escobar Robinson, 40, will now take place next year.
The duo was charged with creating a traffic hazard or obstruction, failing to cease to loiter, and obstructing a public road.
However, late Wednesday afternoon – after waiting all day for their hearing to begin, two of their charges – creating a traffic hazard or obstruction and obstructing a public road – were dropped, once they finally made it before the judge.
The duo has previously indicated pleas of not guilty to all their charges.
Both are accused of blocking Hatt Rd, south of Alice Springs, in November last year.
On November 27, Mx Walker and Mx Robinson allegedly affixed themselves to a 44-gallon drum filled with concrete, blocking access to the road.
The road leads to Joint Defence Facility Pine Gap.
The duo alleges the United States-run facility plays an integral part in atrocities committed overseas, most notably by providing intelligence to the Israeli army in the conflict in Gaza.
At the Wednesday court hearing, the duo was defended by John Lawrence, who said the “main reason and purpose” the pair was on Hatt Rd on November 27 “was to stop employees of the Pine Gap defence facility getting to work so as to prevent the Pine Gap facility doing what it does”.
“What we say it does is provide effective intelligence via the United States to the Israeli Defence Force which would be aiding and abetting the crime of genocide,” Mr Lawrence said.
“So we need an expert to give opinion evidence of qualifying on if relevant what Pine Gap does do, has done, was doing, which would support our case to prevent the commission of defence.”
Judge Anthony Hopkins questioned what section of the criminal code Mr Lawrence was relying on.
“It’s section 27 of the criminal code with which is the justification provision,” he replied.
Prosecutor Lucy Quinlan pushed for the matter to be adjourned, given the hearing faced numerous delays on Wednesday.
She said she also “received further information as to the credentials of one of the experts or the witnesses intended to be called” and sought more time to “process” this.
Judge Hopkins adjourned the matter until September 25, 2025, for another two day hearing.
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Originally published as Pine Gap: Two charges dropped against protesters accused of blocking entry to military facility
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