Four people arrested in Extinction Rebellion protest will plead not guilty
Four people who stopped traffic in Brisbane’s CBD as part of an Extinction Rebellion protest have told a court they will plead not guilty to offences stemming from the incident.
Crime & Justice
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FOUR political activists who stopped traffic in Brisbane’s CBD as part of an Extinction Rebellion protest have told a court they will plead not guilty to the offences stemming from the incident, claiming climate change is an “extraordinary emergency” and justifies their actions.
Emma Jade Dorge, 23, Holly Porter, 22, Greg Rolles, 37 and Clancey Maher, 24, were four of the 90 people arrested on August 6 during the group’s day of action against “Government inaction”.
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Ms Porter said they were arrested after sitting down and linking arms, blocking traffic at the corner of George and Elizabeth streets during the widespread protests through the CBD which caused commuter chaos for hours.
Porter and Dorge were each charged with contravening a direction of police and pedestrian causing an obstruction, Rolles was charged with committing public nuisance and contravening a direction of police and Maher was charged with contravening a direction of police and pedestrian causing an obstruction.
The four today faced Brisbane Magistrates Court where they each pleaded not guilty.
Their cases were set down for a joint hearing in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on October 22.
“Today we’re in court reiterating our plea of not guilty and we are pleading not guilty on the grounds that we are in a sixth mass extinction, we are in a climate crisis an emergency,” Ms Porter said outside court this morning.
“We need our governments and our politicians, our so-called leaders, to take on the responsibility of that.
“To see this as an emergency, to declare the climate crisis as an emergency.”
Ms Porter said she had been emboldened to take part in the protests because previous moves including petitions and rallying had not made a difference.
“So many of us are feeling the weight and the pain that is coming from the destruction of our planet and I believe that once people stop and think and look and really feel the weight of what is happening to this planet, they will act because they will know there is nothing left to do but to act,” she said.
“No one else is coming to save us.
“And because of this we do not believe we should be criminalised. We are acting because we have nothing left. Civil resistance is needed, it is our only chance left at survival. And for that we should not be criminalised.”
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