Sydney Harbour Bridge protester Mali Poppy Cooper charges dismissed

An infamous Blockade Australia protester – formerly of Lismore – who blockaded the Sydney Harbour Bridge Tunnel has had her charges dismissed on mental health grounds.

A former Lismore Blockade Australia climate protester who brought Sydney to a standstill by locking her head to a steering wheel to block the Harbour Bridge tunnel has had the charges against her dismissed.

Mali Poppy Cooper, 22, appeared before the Lismore Local Court on Tuesday, September 27, on charges of entering the Sydney Harbour Bridge tunnel and disrupting vehicles and obstructing the pedestrian path.

Climate Change protester Mali Cooper has all charges dismissed. Screengrab of a tweet by Blockade Aus. https://twitter.com/SydneyCityCrime/status/1574576741737459712/photo/1

Cooper pleaded guilty to blocking the entrance to the tunnel after gaining national attention when she locked herself to the steering wheel of a parked car on June 27, leading to her arrest.

She live-streamed her protest on Facebook, revealing the bike lock wrapped around her neck, as traffic banked up behind her for several kilometres.

Blockade Australia protesters are released on bail from Surry Hills Police Station. Pictured is Mali Cooper, who blocked the Harbour Tunnel and used a bike lock around her neck and steering wheel to lock herself in the car. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Police used bolt cutters to free Cooper from the bike lock, then placed her under arrest.

Cooper was one of 10 protesters arrested during the Blockade Australia protest on June 27. They all pleaded not guilty to their respective charges – except Cooper, who did not enter a plea.

The now Bellingen woman faced up to two years in prison or a $22,000 fine.

Mali Poppy Cooper, 22, pictured here locked to a car in the Harbour Tunnel on June 27. Picture: Facebook

But in Lismore court, the charges against her were dismissed by magistrate Jeff Linden on mental health grounds.

Cooper is to continue her treatment over the next six months focusing on: Identifying high risk situations that can cause relapse of symptoms, learning to recognise when negative emotions are building up, finding a way to reduce exposure to high risk situations and further stress reducing techniques.