Serial protester Eric Herbert banned from Brisbane’s CBD

Serial protester Eric Herbert has been banned from entering Brisbane’s CBD or using any bridges connecting to the inner-city after being arrested for the seventh time.

SERIAL climate pest Eric Herbert has been banned from entering the Brisbane CBD or using any bridges connecting to the inner-city after being arrested for illegal protesting for the seventh time.

The former Unity College student, who lives in a swanky Pelican Waters mansion with his parents, was among six Extinction Rebellion protestors arrested this morning after gluing themselves to metal temporary fencing and the road, blocking peak-hour traffic.

Environmental activist Eric Herbert with Extinction Rebellion protestors in the Queen Street Mall on August 6. Picture: Darren England/AAP

Herbert, 20, was charged with obstructing a police officer, causing an obstruction on roadway and wilful damage but did not enter a plea to the offences.

He was granted bail in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on the condition he “not attend the suburb of Brisbane City or Fortitude Valley or any bridges that connect with those suburbs, unless traversing through the city on public transport”.

“... he’s committing offences, being unlawful. It’s time to stop disrupting the motorists of Brisbane,” police prosecutor Sergeant Matt Kahler told the court.

“Multiple police were called out, specialist police were called out, they had to unglue them from the roadway and fencing, they had to direct traffic, so it’s a major, major distruption.”

Aged carer Myles Justin Beaufort, 51, today pleaded guilty to being a pedestrian causing an obstruction on a roadway and obstructing police in relation to the protest that the group claimed targeted “major banks, mining and weapons contractors who have head offices in the immediate area”.

The man from The Gap was fined $400.

Isabelle Harland, 23, pleaded guilty to charges arising out of the protest action and was fined $500.

She was already on a good behaviour bond for previously protesting as part of Extinction Rebellion, but the court did not impose the $1500, finding she would not have been able to pay the bond.

Harland, who chose not to be represented by a duty lawyer, claiming she had previously been lied to by her public-purse funded solicitor, said she had completed a degree in geography and sociology.

“I am studying to become a doula birth worker, I am a disability support worker, I volunteer at permaculture farms and I consider myself a valuable member of society,” the St Lucia woman said from the dock.

Harland told the court she was “not working because I’m dedicating myself to activism”.

Repeat protestor Thomas Howell, 29, today appeared on his fifth charge relating to Extinction Rebellion activities and told the court he was “pleading guilty criminally, not morally” to charges relating to the protest.

Extinction Rebellion spokesman and environmental activist Eric Herbert protesting outside the arrest court earlier this year.

The West End man, who the court heard is paying $100 per week toward more than $2000 in fines he has wracked up from protesting, said he was exercising his right to protest and only “breaking laws here and there”.

“I know you have your own belief system but I’m just dealing with the law here,” Magistrate Deirdre Swan said, slapping him with a further $1000 fine.

“These are serious issues, they are not flippant issues, no one is challenging your right to believe ... it’s the manner you go about showing that. It’s offensive to many members of the public the way you go about imposing the disruption.”

Another protestor, QUT student Connor Brookes, 18, was charged with obstructing police and being a pedestrian obstructing a roadway. He pleaded not guilty and was granted bail to appear in court next month.

A 17-year-old girl was also arrested and charged with one count of obstruct police officer and pedestrians cause an obstruction. She was released after signing watchhouse bail.

Today’s arrests comes just days before protestors have planned major disruptions to the city on October 7.

Outside court Thomas Howell dismissed concerns police resources were being used to break up the protests.

He said if the Government had the money to spend on “fighter jets” at last weekend’s Riverfire, they court afford to take action on climate change.

Meanwhile, Isabelle Harland maintained she had “done nothing wrong” despite being criminally charged.

She said she would continue to protest despite not being ordered to pay $1500 for breaching a good behaviour bond she was already subject to because she did not work and would not have the capacity to pay.