NSW Premier Chris Minns’ plan to stop Blockade Australia protesters

Two Blockade activists have scaled a coal train in yet another morning of chaos less than 12 hours after NSW Premier Chris Minns vowed to block the blockheads.

Two Blockade Australia climate activists have locked themselves on top of a coal train in Newcastle just hours after the Minns government vowed to crack down on the anti-coal protesters.

Two female activists by the names of Kalpa and Ayla are sitting on top of the large freight train in an attempt to disrupt one of the largest coal export terminals in the world.

“We are locked on a coal train on a line going into the port of Newcastle,” 16-year-old Ayla said.

“I’m really worried about my future and am taking action today because I believe that the system is hurling us towards ecological collapse.”

Premier Chris Minns yesterday sought a meeting with Facebook’s parent company Meta in a bid to block the activists broadcasting their illegal protests on social media, but less than 24 hours later a new pair of protesters have live-streamed their antics.

Two activists have locked themselves onto a coal train in Newcastle on Thursday morning. Picture: Supplied

Another planned protest caused mass disruptions to a major port in Victoria on Thursday.

A Blockade Australia climate activist by the name of Jacinta scaled a coal train entering the port of Melbourne.

“Australia works within an extractive system that is literally killing our chances of survival. We need to reimagine a world we want to live in,” the 62-year-old said.

“We change everything, or we lose everything,” her banner reads.

Blockade Australia has caused serious traffic disruptions across several Australian cities this week with the latest protest marking the 11th in just four days.

A climate activist named Jacinta has jumped on top of a train at the port of Melbourne on Thursday morning, halting its rail operations into the one of the largest ports in the continent. Picture: Supplied by Blockade Australia

The 62-year-old glued her hand to the structure. Supplied by Blockade Australia

Big tech has been drafted into the fight to stop protesters causing havoc at coal ports, as activists threatened to continue their acts of disruption.

With police unable to quickly remove activists blocking rail lines and magistrates seemingly unwilling to impose the harsh penalties on those who break anti-protest laws, the Minns government is now vowing to crack down on anti-coal protesters’ social media broadcasts.

A 22-year-old man was charged on Wednesday over blocking a rail line leading to the Port of Newcastle in a protest that was streamed live on Facebook for almost five hours.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Premier Chris Minns on Wednesday sought a meeting with Facebook’s parent company Meta in a bid to block the activists broadcasting their illegal protests on social media.

“These thrill demonstrators are putting lives at risk – both their own and those of emergency service and police,” Mr Minns said.

“Their business model relies on social media to broadcast their protest.

“We will sit down with police and Facebook about what more can be done to stop the broadcast of illegal acts.”

Blockade Australia are back for a third consecutive with activist Angus blocking the world's largest coal port in Newcastle. Picture: Supplied

After hours on the pole Angus was eventually arrested. Picture: Supplied

In a statement issued to media, Blockade Australia said a 22-year-old identified as “Angus” was “sitting atop a 9-metre pole on a rail bridge at Branxton … on the Hunter Region rail line leading into the Newcastle coal port.”

NSW Police later said a man had been charged over the unauthorised protest after being removed and arrested at about 9.35am.

NSW Premier Chris Minns. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Simon Bullard

He was charged with causing obstruction to a railway locomotive or rolling stock and entering enclosed non-agricultural lands posing a serious safety risk.

He appeared before Cessnock Local Court and was released on bail.

Police Minister Yasmin Catley defended the time it has taken police to remove recent climate protesters, describing the operations as “very high risk rescues”.

Recent protesters have “deliberately placed themselves in dangerous and hard to access situations … making it time-consuming and dangerous for police attempting to remove them,” she said.

An activist called Niamh joined the protest in Melbourne on Wednesday. Picture: Supplied

Ms Catley dismissed the idea of mandatory minimum sentences for anti-coal protesters, but called for courts to treat those causing havoc “harshly, as a lesson to others”.

Opposition police spokesman Paul Toole also called for magistrates to get tougher.

“This is the only way that we’re going to send a strong message to the rest of those clowns out there that are actually disrupting everyday lives of people.”

Blockade Australia vowed to continue causing chaos at coal ports despite tough penalties and would “stand up against repressive legislation.”

ACTIVISTS LET OFF WITH LIGHT TOUCH

One of the most recognisable faces from the Blockade Australia protests held over the last 18 months has been let off with a conviction and no other penalty, after facing court last week.

Eric Serge Herbert was committed to stand trial in October last year, but pleaded guilty last week to conspiracy to commit offence.

While a conviction was recorded against him, no further penalty was imposed.

Eric Serge Herbert was charged with conspiracy to commit an offence. Picture: Supplied

Brad Homewood pleaded not guilty and has a hearing on June 30. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

Herbert, from Summer Hill, was one of 30 people in November 2021 arrested for disrupting and obstructing the Hunter’s coal chain network organised by climate change protest group Blockade Australia.

He was initially sentenced to 12 months jail in relation to the protests but lodged an appeal against the decision and was released on strict bail two weeks later.

The Xenophon Davis law firm has been involved with representing more than a dozen Blockade Australia protesters charged over the last 18 months, including acting for 17 protesters who appealed the severity of their sentences at Newcastle District Court.

Harley McDonald Eckersall received no conviction and an eight-month bond. Picture NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard

Mali Poppy Cooper had her charge dismissed on mental health grounds.

Sixteen of those had their original sentences reduced to 12 month good behaviour bonds, according to Xenophon Davis, with no convictions recorded.

Court records also show seven out of eight people charged over a Blockade Australia protest in Sydney’s CBD last year have been let off with minor punishments, including good behaviour bonds and fines up to $650. Four of the eight had no convictions recorded against them.

Xenophon Davis’ Mark Davis said good behaviour bonds and fines were “significant” outcomes, saying strict laws introduced last year – including two year jail terms and $22,000 maximum fines – were too tough for prosecutors to enforce.

“It’s so absurd, it satisfies the impulses of a populist politician … but for the police prosecutors who need to deal with it, it’s over loading the system and the courts to an absurd degree,” he said.

‘RABBLE’ IGNORING THE COAL HARD FACTS

Anti-coal protesters are an “out-of-touch rabble” trying to halt an industry that provides nearly three-quarters of the state’s electricity and brings in billions of dollars in revenue to NSW.

“The fact that this rabble of youngsters have the luxury of conducting eight protests over three days while the rest of us are too busy trying to get to work and keep the lights on speaks volumes to how out of touch these people are,” federal Opposition energy spokeswoman Hollie Hughes said.

The comments came as analysis of energy market figures revealed that as cold temperatures descended on the state, coal-fired power stations were providing an average of 71 per cent of the state’s electricity needs each day. In the past week that figure has regularly climbed to 80 per cent at night due to the lack of solar and wind generation.

Meanwhile, the most recent state budget figures revealed that mining royalties, the large majority of which come from coal, are expected to bring in at least $6bn in government revenue this financial year alone.

Those funds could pay for at least eight new hospitals like the new $700m facility announced last November to be built in the Illawarra.

The money would also cover a $5bn plan for more affordable and accessible childcare announced by the Perrottet government and would also represent half the Albanese government’s proposed Housing Australia Future Fund.

“If these activists were serious about climate change … they might consider blockading some of the coal being shipped around China – the world’s highest emitter – and see where that gets them,” ­Senator Hughes said.