Why canoe protesters who blocked peak hour Brisbane CBD traffic weren’t fined by magistrate

Two young women from northern New South Wales who blocked peak hour traffic on the Victoria Bridge last month have received a “guillotine” sentence by a Brisbane magistrate.

TWO young women from northern New South Wales who blocked peak hour traffic on the Victoria Bridge last month have received a “guillotine” sentence by a Brisbane magistrate.

Lily Smith, 23, and Isabelle Harland, 23, both received a 12-month good behaviour bond with the warning that they would be fined $1500 each if they offended again, after pleading guilty to public nuisance and obstructing police by blocking the busy thoroughfare using a canoe on June 27.

Neither were fined on the basis that they were Newstart recipients and full time students.

Magistrate Payne also ruled that the canoe and “sleeping dragon” devices used to hinder law enforcement efforts to move on the protesters would be forfeited to the crown.

Sleeping dragons are devices which prevents law enforcement from being able to remove protesters.

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The police prosecutor argued that both Smith and Harland had refused to remove themselves from the sleeping dragons until they had been put in the back of a police vehicle, a considerable amount of time after first being requested by officers.

Magistrate Payne took into consideration their residence in New South Wales when ruling on the matter, stating that Smith and Harland would be unable to complete community service in Queensland, and both would be financially impaired by a fine while on the Newstart allowance.

The canoe protest on Victoria Bridge in the Brisbane CBD.

Magistrate Payne however said the good behaviour bond of $1500 was like a guillotine hanging over their heads, warning the two activists not to offend again.

Outside court, Smith and Harland refused to say if they would protest again, but said they would continue to fight for the declaration of a climate emergency.

“The destruction of the planet is a crime and it should be prosecuted,” Harland said.

“I am willing to remain an activist for as long as it takes,” Smith said.

No criminal convictions were recorded.

Originally published as Why canoe protesters who blocked peak hour Brisbane CBD traffic weren’t fined by magistrate