Meme Thorne bailed after Extinction Rebellion’s Morphett St Bridge traffic stunt
An Extinction Rebellion protester charged over a bridge stunt says she’s sorry for holding up CBD traffic for an hour – but added she has no remorse because no one was hurt.
SA News
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The Extinction Rebellion protester who ground the city to a halt with an abseiling stunt over North Terrace has been released on bail, despite it being the third time she has caused “mass disruption” in the community.
On Wednesday, the Adelaide magistrates court released Meme Caroline Thorne, 69, of Willunga, on $500 bail on charges of obstructing a public place, and disturbing the peace.
That release was granted over the objections of police prosecutor Andrew McCracken, who said Ms Thorne’s antics warranted a prison sentence.
He said that, in May last year. Ms Thorne glued her hands to Flinders Street in front of Santos House, but received neither a conviction nor penalty.
Three months later, he said, she climbed on to the roof of Rundle Mall Plaza in another protest, and received a six-month good behaviour bond.
“Her offending this morning just escaped and was just outside that good behaviour bond,” he said.
“There was a clear intention to cause mass disruption and the community needs some assurance that people in these environments will be held to account.
“Given this is the third occurrence of this behaviour, our position is that a punishment of imprisonment is suitable for today’s offending.”
Claire O’Connor SC, for Ms Thorne, said courts around the country had ruled bail could not be denied to protesters as a form of punishment.
She said that, at worst, her client faced a maximum fine of $1250 and three-month prison term if convicted – but added she intended to plead not guilty.
“You cannot isolate a particular group of offenders because of their motivation and treat them differently because of their beliefs,” she said.
“This is simply a 69-year-old woman on very minor charges.
“Your honour can fix a condition of bail that she is not to attend any Extinction Rebellion protest, then there’s no risk she will commit further offences.”
Magistrate Justin Wickens remanded Ms Thorne on bail, with a fellow Extinction Rebellion member, providing a $500 guarantee, to face court again in July.
Outside court, Ms Thorne said she was not remorseful for her actions.
“Why should I feel remorse? I harmed no one,” she said.
“No one was injured, nothing violent happened, I made a strong protest on behalf of all the people who feel the way I do about the climate catastrophe we are living in.”
However, she said she felt sorry for the people on North Tce and Morphett St who were inconvenienced by or missed appointments due to her protest.
“I’m sorry that is the case but that is only a minute period of time in their lives,” she said.
“It’s a drop in the ocean compared to the Lismore floods, the fires in the Blue Mountains, and the things that are not going to stop if our climate catastrophe is not handled the way we have been promised by governments.
“I was there because they could not be there, they were home getting their children ready for school, they were in hospitals looking after the ill and sick, they were bravely fighting fires and building roads.”
Ms Thorne said she understood many in the community, including Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, were upset with her.
“There are people who will always be annoyed when someone stands up for people who cannot speak, she said.
“That cannot be a consideration on my part, I have to let that go. The Commissioner will do what he has to do, I will do what I have to do.”
Thorne is an actor, artist and “rebel for life”, according to her social media.
Police and a fire crew headed to the scene of Wednesday’s protest by activist group Extinction Rebellion where a woman had suspended herself by a harness to the Morphett St Bridge connected to the Adelaide Convention Centre.
The stunt forced police to close traffic on the bridge and lanes were blocked under it.
The protester was brought down by firefighters just before 9am after more than an hour of disruption.
On her social media accounts, Ms Thorne describes herself as a “rebel for life” and has posted several environmentally-themed photos.
“We are drowning and burning at the same time, the time for talk is over,” she writes in one post.
“Act now, demand the truth, our government lies.”
In another post, she is pictured posing with a sign reading “climate change now”, while photos of bushfires are captioned “apocalyptic future”.
‘Get stuffed! Piss off!’ Commuters heading into the CBD have told 7NEWS how they were left hanging in peak-hour traffic chaos as protesters took a climate change stunt to new heights. The latest in 7NEWS Adelaide at 6pm. #7NEWSpic.twitter.com/MT1abX4F8q
— 7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) May 17, 2023
Ms Thorne is also a photographer whose work was exhibited by the City of Onkaparinga in 2016.
“In the past year my concerns with environmental issues have escalated,” she wrote in her artist’s statement.
“In sympathy my art too has become more focused on the juxtapositions of the cities and landscapes I have photographed.
“The growing insanity around blinkered governmental denials over climate change have enraged me and over time I have channelled those thoughts and feelings into the works I submit here.
“I call them Drowning Cities Drowning Landscapes: a climate change crescendo.”
Originally published as Meme Thorne bailed after Extinction Rebellion’s Morphett St Bridge traffic stunt
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