Climate protester Bradley Homewood to call on social scientist in latest court fight

A notorious climate activist jailed over a West Gate Bridge blockade has been told he is “doomed to fail” if he “plays the green card” in his latest court fight.

Extinction Rebellion activist Bradley Homewood fronted the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on July 30.

A notorious climate activist jailed over a chaoticWest Gate Bridge blockadehas been warned that “playing the green card” isn’t an excuse for breaking the law.

Extinction Rebellion member Bradley Homewood, 51, on Tuesday fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on July 30 over charges relating to climate protests.

The charges were not revealed in court, however, Mr Homewood’s defence team told Magistrate Abigail Burchill it planned to call on a social scientist and a climate scientist to give evidence.

Their testimony would include the effectiveness of peaceful protests on policy change as well as evidence related to climate science and climate change.

Mr Homewood was one of the protesters who left the CBD in peakhour chaos after blocking off the West Gate Bridge with a moving van in March Picture: Jason Edwards

The prosecution argued the evidence was “not relevant to Mr Homewood’s alleged offending”. A decision on allowing the scientists to appear was yet to be made.

Magistrate Abigail Burchill said despite the climate issue being important, Mr Homewood’s belief system wouldn’t override the law.

“People can say they are doing the wrong thing for a broader social purpose, but the law is there to be followed,” she said.

“Playing the green card here seems doomed to fail.”

The March blockade of the West Gate Bridge lasted two and a half hours, and delayed 16 emergency service calls . Picture: Jason Edwards

Mr Homewood’s lawyer said his client was “aware of the task ahead of him”.

“This course of action wasn’t a decision made lightly,” he said.

Ms Burchill adjourned the matter for a seven day contested hearing to begin on February 17 next year.

The Extinction Rebellion is a climate change action group that holds disruptive protests to “persuade governments to act justly” in relation to climate change.

The group is present in 90 countries world wide.