Anne Vickers: Mount Pleasant resident and alleged Blockade Australia protester granted bail

An alleged Blockade Australia protester smiled and warned of a climate emergency as she left Burwood Local Court after receiving bail.

An alleged Blockade Australia protester smiled and warned of a climate emergency as she left custody after receiving bail at Burwood Local Court.

Anne Vickers, a 66-year-old woman from Mount Pleasant, Victoria, was arrested following the unauthorised Blockade Australia protests in Sydney’s CBD which ground traffic to a halt earlier this week.

Vickers allegedly participated in protests near the intersection of William and Palmer streets, Woolloomooloo.

She was arrested on June 30, just before 6pm, at a home in Sydney’s inner west and charged with intimidating a police officer, destroying or damaging property, obstructing a police officer, preventing the free passage of a person or vehicle and obstructing other drivers or pedestrians.

Police will also allege Vickers was involved in the Blockade Australia operation at a Colo property earlier in June.

Anne Vickers leaving Burwood Local Court. Picture: Odessa Blain.

In Burwood Local Court, the police prosecutor opposed bail citing the string of alleged offences Vickers faces.

“The accused has endangered individuals … these are serious offences which caused the community some fear due to their general nature,” the police prosecutor said.

Vickers spoke of the climate emergency after being granted bail. Picture: Odessa Blain

Vickers leaving Burwood court

The court also heard Vickers has a criminal record, dating back to the 1980s, and was on bail at the time of the alleged offences committed at the unauthorised climate emergency protests.

But Vickers’ defence lawyer, Mr Mendez, said she is unlikely to receive a jail sentence for these alleged offences, even if she is proven guilty.

Magistrate Peter Bugden agreed Vickers was unlikely to receive a custodial sentence and told the court her criminal record only included minor offences.

“She has got to be regarded as a good citizen in the community … (her previous offences) all seem to be of a minor nature,” Mr Bugden said.

But Mr Bugden also told the court these protests angered and inconvenienced many ordinary people.

“(The protests) have received much publicity in the press … and they have inconvenienced the lives of ordinary people going to work,” he said.

Vickers was granted bail on strict conditions, including not returning to NSW except for future court appearances and not contacting any of the other co-accuseds.

After receiving bail, Vickers smiled as she left the Burwood cells with her bag of belongings and spoke of the climate emergency which spurred her to allegedly participate in these protests.

The matter will return to court later in July for pleas to be entered.