Climate protesters lose court fight on multi-day port blockade
Climate protesters planning a multi-day blockade of the world’s largest coal port have vowed to forge ahead after the Supreme Court ruled the protest prohibited.
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Climate protesters gearing up for a multi-day blockade of the world’s largest coal port have vowed they will still protest following a Supreme Court ruling that the protest prohibited.
Climate activist group Rising Tide had planned a 72-hour blockade of the Port of Newcastle from November 22 with protesters in an armada of canoes and small vessels blocking access to ships carrying coal.
The group had also planned for a small-scale music festival to be conducted on land at which live music acts including Midnight Oil star and former federal environment minister Peter Garrett and artists John Butler and Angie McMahon.
Protest organisers submitted a Form 1 or notice of intention to hold a public assembly in August, which the NSW Police rejected on public safety grounds.
The courts ruled on Thursday morning that both the land festival and water blockade would be prohibited for the safety of the protesters and other users of the port.
The ruling means that should the protest go ahead, police will be able to use their full suite of powers to make arrests, as the action is not protected by law.
A NSW Police spokesperson warned protesters who still decide to attend not to enter the water.
“For their own safety and that of the other users of the Port, we request that people who still attend this event refrain from entering the harbour on kayaks or other vessels with the intention to obstruct other users of the Port, or engage in other forms of civil disobedience,” the spokesperson said.
Despite the ruling Rising Tide protest organiser Zack Schofield vowed that the protest would go ahead regardless.
“Peaceful assembly on land and water is legal in NSW, and we’re carefully reading His Honour’s Judgement to plan our next steps,” he said.
“The only public safety issue here is the climate pollution caused by the continued expansion of the coal and gas industries.
“The ‘protestival’ will go ahead.”
At the same protest last year, over 100 of the First Wave protesters were arrested after the protest infringed over an agreed upon 30-hour limit.
The ruling came after Newcastle Labor MP Tim Crakanthorp told a local school group on Wednesday he supported the port blockade.
“Rising Tide have every right to protest, absolutely and I support anyone’s right to protest at any time,” he said.
Mr Crakanthorp’s comments have put him at odds with Police Minister Yasmin Catley who supported NSW Police’s decision to block the protest and warned that protesters breaking the law would be arrested.
“I implore people to think twice about participating in this event, don’t put yourself in danger and definitely don’t put the safety of our hardworking police in danger,” she said.
“There will be a large police presence at the Port – anyone who breaks the law can expect to be arrested.”
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