Blockade Australia protesters disrupt Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane ports in co-ordinated strike
A NSW woman has been charged after Blockade Australia activists blocked off one of the largest coal export terminals in the world and have also targeted ports in two major cities.
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Blockade Australia climate activists have blocked off one of the largest coal export terminals in the world in NSW while two other activists from the same organisation have caused major disruptions to ports in Brisbane and Melbourne.
A female protester by the name of Raffi from the environmental activist organisation was suspended off a bipod above the trainline at the Kooragang Coal Terminal at the Port of Newcastle on Monday morning
“We need rapid large-scale immediate action (for the climate crisis). It is a global crisis. We can do that for wars but when it’s for ecological collapse we are just sitting around,” she said.
The activist broadcast the protest via Facebook livestream from around 7am on Monday while she hang from the structure.
On Monday afternoon, a 22-year-old woman was charged with causing obstruction to a railway locomotove and entering an inclosed land with serious risk to safety. She was refused bail to appear in court on Tuesday.
Another co-ordinated protest caused mass disruptions to a major port in Queensland.
A Blockade Australia climate activist by the name of Jem scaled a mono pole crossing all lanes entering and exiting the Brisbane Port, halting the exportation of “climate destruction.”
“Jem is here on the stolen lands of the Quandamooka peoples to say enough is enough! Everyday people are taking part in collective action as we know that is what's going to get the change we need for a liveable environment,” a Facebook statement from Blockade Australia read.
In Melbourne, a protester named Brad climbed onto a pole blocking the operations in and out of the port of Melbourne.
He was holding a banner with a message that read, “Hope lies in a culture of resistance.”
A Blockade Australia representative warned “there was more to come”.
“We expect to grow strong, we have already expanded our numbers many-fold since our repression last year and we expect that to continue,” Blockade Australia media liaison Zelda Grimshaw said.
“You can definitely expect more disruptive action to the exploitation and extradition that Australia is engaged in that is going to kill us.”
She said the climate movement could not be stopped.
“One year ago today, the NSW Police Force had to smash up our movements in the infamous Colo raids,” Ms Grimshaw said.
“That repression has only made us stronger, larger in number and more determined than ever to resist the destruction that is damaging our planet so badly.”
NSW Premier Chris Minns condemned the protests, labelling them as dangerous not only for the activists but also for all of the emergency services involved.
“If you’re going to blockade a coal rail line, there’s two things that are immediately important,” He told Ben Fordham on 2GB on Monday morning.
“Firstly, you could potentially put your own life in danger, they are high speed trains, their transport lines convey thousands of tonnes of coal and they’re extremely dangerous.
“Secondly, emergency services workers, particularly the police, are put in extreme danger as a result of having to go and remove people from very dangerous situations.
“So it’s just dangerous all around, one of the reasons why we supported the previous government protest laws which are going to remain in place in NSW.”
Blockade Australia said they’re “striking back” by shutting down these major ports.
“We all have the power to disrupt and transform the colonial project, known as “Australia,” the statement read.
“This is part of a co-ordinated mobilisation in response to Australia’s facilitation of the climate and ecological crisis, and its active blocking of impactful action towards a safe climate.”
NSW Police confirmed that all three protesters have been arrested and taken into custody.
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Originally published as Blockade Australia protesters disrupt Newcastle, Melbourne and Brisbane ports in co-ordinated strike
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