50 protesters charged after coal train blocked near Newcastle

Dozens of anti-coal protesters have been slapped with charges after they blocked the passage of a coal trail near Newcastle on Sunday.

Police have charged 50 protesters involved in blockading a coal train near Newcastle, including more than a dozen people who climbed on top of carriages, with Premier Chris Minns slamming the “dangerous” stunt.

Members of activist organisation Rising Tide allegedly flagged down the train about 10am on Sunday after entering the rail corridor at Sandgate.

More than a dozen people then climbed onto carriages and used shovels to unload coal from the wagons, demanding an end to coal mines.

Forty-seven people were ­issued court attendance notices for offences including ­obstructing a railway (locomotive), assist in obstructing a rail locomotive, aggravated enter enclosed lands and interfere with business, and entering enclosed lands.

Police will allege two more people damaged fences and a third person assaulted a security office while attempting to gain entry onto the railway corridor.

Protesters linked to the Newcastle-based activist group Rising Tide entered the rail corridor at Sandgate and climbed on top of a train loaded with coal, where they remained for three hours.

They were taken to Waratah Police Station and charged.

A 32-year-old man was charged with common assault and assist in obstruction of rail locomotive or rolling stock while a 59-year-old man was charged with destroy or damage property, cause obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock, and enter inclosed non-agricultural lands interfere etc business.

They were both granted bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court on June 1.

A 47-year-old man was charged with destroy or damage property, assist in obstruction of rail locomotive or rolling stock, and enter inclosed non-agricultural lands interfere etc business.

He was bail refused to appear at Newcastle Local Court on Monday.

Three people faced more serious charges and were arrested by police.

Images posted by the group on social media show dozens of protesters sitting on and around the train, with banners stating “Survival guide for ­humanity: No new coal” and “We are the Rising Tide” unfurled at the site and hanging off the vehicle.

Newcastle City Police District commander Superintendent Kylie Endemi said police would not tolerate violence.

“While we recognise and support everyone’s right to free speech, we certainly don’t tolerate any violence or any ­impact upon public order and safety of people,” Supt Endemi said.

She said police had been liaising with a group member about a gathering but Sunday’s action constituted “unlawful” action.

Premier Chris Minns told The Daily Telegraph: “These protests are dangerous and more often then not are not advancing their cause.”

The protesters came down peacefully after discussions with police.

“My fear is someone will get killed performing these protests. Obviously that would be terrible for everyone – the organisers of the protest and the workers operating the train.”

A woman who purported to be a spokeswoman for Rising Tide, speaking to The Daily Telegraph from the scene, said the action was because there was a “a climate emergency”.

“We’re calling on the government at state and federal levels to heed the warning ... (and) stop all new coal projects immediately and cancel them right now because we’re in a climate emergency,” she said.

The Daily Telegraph ­revealed this month that Scouts NSW had cancelled the booking of the Newcastle-based group Rising Tide, who had sought to use one of Scouts’ campgrounds for a gathering over the April 15-16 weekend.

Scouts NSW axed the booking after being contacted by the newspaper, with Rising Tide subsequently posting on its Facebook page it had since found an alternative venue.

Similar protests hit trains leading to the Newcastle coal port – Australia’s largest – over late 2021 and early 2022, while 10 activists were arrested after a similar protest group blocked roads and caused chaos in Sydney’s CBD last year.

NSW parliament last year passed tough new laws which could result in people being fined up to $22,000 and jailed for a maximum of two years for protesting illegally on specific roads, rail lines and bridges.