Blockade Australia activists strike for third consecutive day
Blockade Australia climate activists have struck for a third day in a row, leading to rail chaos around one of the largest coal export terminals in the world.
NSW
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Blockade Australia climate activists have struck for a third day in a row with a young protester’s actions leading to rail chaos around one of the largest coal export terminals in the world.
A male protester by the name of Angus was sitting atop a nine metre pylon and shut down the Hunter supply line into the Newcastle coal port.
As a result no trains ran between Scone and Maitland on the Hunter Line on Wednesday morning.
The latest breach comes as police increase security at Port Botany today.
It comes just hours after a young activist was arrested in the port of Newcastle after she glued her hand to a structure within the coal port on Tuesday night.
The male who blocked the Hunter supply line said he wanted to disrupt the economic system the country has in place.
“The reason I’ve decided to take this action to block a coal port is not just because coal is bad, but I’m here to try and disrupt the economic system that Australia has in place,” the 22-year-old said.
Another co-ordinated protest has caused mass disruptions to a major port in Melbourne.
A young woman by the name of Niamh from the environmental activist organisation was abseiling off Footscray Rd, blocking six lanes of traffic linking to the port.
“I’m currently abseiling off Footscray Rd, blocking six lanes of traffic on a Blockade Australia protest,” she said on Wednesday morning.
“Protesting on the Port of Melbourne, the largest container port on this continent.”
Her banner reads, “You can’t demand anything from the system.”
Both Angus and Niamh were eventually arrested and taken into custody.
Blockade Australia has caused serious traffic disruptions across several Australian cities this week.
A man suspended himself from a 9m bamboo tripod on Port of Brisbane Rd from about 6.35am on Tuesday before a second man blocked the entrance to the Port of Melbourne an hour later.
Another female protester was suspended off a bipod above the trainline at the Kooragang Coal Terminal at the Port of Newcastle on Monday morning.
The 22-year-old was charged with obstructing a railway locomotive and entering enclosed land with a risk to safety.
Hours later on Monday, another 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.”
In Melbourne, a protester named Brad climbed onto a pole blocking the operations in and out of the port of Melbourne on Monday.
He was holding a banner with a message that read, “Hope lies in a culture of resistance.”
NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley spoke out against the protesters on Wednesday morning.
“Of course their actions do absolutely nothing for the environment or climate change, all they’re doing is bringing attention to themselves,” she told Ben Fordham on the 2GB radio show on Wednesday morning.
“It’s very, very dangerous. They’re endangering their lives, the lives of those around them in particular they’re dangering the lives of those coming to rescue them.”
NSW Premier NSW Premier Chris Minns this week 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 said.
“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.”
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