Blockade Australia: Third day of protests called off by organisers

Climate protesters have decided on a new course of action for Wednesday after 21 arrests were made over the past two days.

Blockade Australia climate protesters will take a day off on Wednesday after the second day of action rallied smaller crowds and brought more arrests.

Organisers shared a message with protesters on Tuesday that there would be no protests on Wednesday, The Canberra Times reported.

“We have made the call for tomorrow to be a day off,” they posted on the Blockade Australia: Resist Climate Inaction channel of the Telegram messaging platform.

“We want people to have a chance to rest, regroup and support one another as well as connect with those who share our common purpose of resisting climate destruction.”

Protesters will take a day off after two days of protests. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

NSW Police have made 21 arrests as a result of the unauthorised protests, bringing the number of arrests to 32 since Strike Force Guard operations began in March.

Eleven people were arrested during the second day of protests in Sydney when around 40 people disrupted traffic from Hyde Park to Woolloomooloo.

It was a significantly smaller showing of protesters on Tuesday after it was estimated more than 100 people turned out to march through the CBD streets on Monday.

Protesters marched through Sydney's CBD as part of Blockade Australia protests. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper,

Ten people were arrested and charged on the first day after protesters threw concrete blocks, garbage bins, bikes and barricades onto the street to delay police officers and disrupt traffic.

Mali Cooper, 22, who was arrested on Monday after she live streamed herself locked to her car steering wheel while parked across the Harbour Tunnel, appeared on Channel 10’s The Project on Tuesday night.

The Lismore woman appeared in court earlier that day after spending a gruelling 30 hours in custody but was released on bail until her next court appearance in July.

Mali Cooper, who blocked the Harbour Tunnel, was released on bail. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Swift

“I don’t regret anything,” she told The Project panel.

Host Kate Langbroek accused the activist of being “extremely divisive”.

“You talk about privilege but the ultimate privilege was probably you deciding whether people could get to work or not?”

“I recognise my privilege in the world and I recognise that I’m privileged talking to you,” Ms Cooper replied.

Mali Cooper told The Project that she had no regrets about disrupting Sydney's traffic on Monday. Picture: The Project/ Channel 10

“There’s a bigger conversation that needs to happen about climate change and I think that not a lot of people get a chance to speak on national television about this really important situation that impacts all of us.”

Ms Cooper could face a fine of up to $22,000 and/or jail for a maximum of two years for protesting illegally on public roads, rail lines, tunnels, bridges and industrial estates.

Originally published as Blockade Australia: Third day of protests called off by organisers