Police brace for more CBD protests as international mining conference is held in Melbourne
Protesters have shut down traffic in the CBD and blockaded a mining giant’s Collins St headquarters. Dozens of climate activists are planning to “make life hell” as an international mining conference kicks off in Melbourne this week.
VIC News
Don't miss out on the headlines from VIC News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
About 100 protesters shut traffic down with a march in the CBD this morning to protest against an international mining conference held in Melbourne this week.
Student protesters, joined by factions of Extinction Rebellion and other protest groups, led a march around the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre, chanting “IMARC blood on your hands,” “shut Adani down” and “burn, burn, burn the rich”.
The activists shut down Spencer St around 10.45am and led a march through the CBD and up towards the Paris end of Collins St.
Traffic and trams were at a standstill as the group of about 100 people made its way through the streets.
The group then blockaded the entrance to Australian mining giant Oceana Gold’s building on Collins St.
About 30 riot and uniformed police were stationed at the entrance, blocking anyone from getting in or out.
Riot police were also stationed across the road outside Rio Tinto’s office.
Chants of “money for health and education, not for mining cooperations” could be heard throughout the street.
One disgruntled commuter planted himself in front of the moving crowd, shouting: “What the f--- is this s---?”
“Why did you interrupt my public transport this morning?” the man said. “It’s a hoax. (Climate change) is a hoax.”
Student protesters joined by factions of Extinction Rebellion & other protest groups march around the Convention Centre chanting “IMARC blood on your hands†and “shut Adani downâ€. @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/0m5p05tPk8
— Alanah Frost (@akfrost_) October 27, 2019
Mounted police and officers on bikes joined the group as they marched back to the MCEC.
Traffic has returned to normal.
Earlier, protesters were stopping at the MCEC’s entrances and banging on windows while dozens of riot police lined on the inside of the centre.
A large number of Victoria Police officers — both uniform and plain clothes — are also patrolling the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC).
One sign reads “Blockade IMARC for climate justice”. Another said “Corporations causing climate collapse.
To cries of “shame”, supporters spoke about the “criminal” mining industry and called for it to be shut down.
“Genocide isn’t done by individuals, it’s done by cooperations and governments,” one speaker said.
“All these people are criminal, living on the proceeds.”
Others called for Aboriginal land rights and immediate climate action.
“The future could be a beautiful one,” one protester said.
Organiser Emma Black, from Blockade IMARC Alliance, said they were protesting for a better future.
“The main message, our goal, is to shut down this conference,” she said. “We don’t want executives and policy makers to be meeting in our city.
“So this is a global message that no we won’t stand for a big corporate green washing event.
“As long as it’s profitable for them, they will keep raping the earth.
“We really just want to get a message out here that we won’t standard for this.”
MULTIPLE GROUPS PLAN MASS BLOCKADE
More than 1200 people responded “going” to the official Facebook event for the group this week, with multiple activist groups encouraged to join in.
Protests are planned for the duration of the conference, with a “mass blockade” scheduled tomorrow morning.
It comes as senior police brace for the worst from protests against an international mining conference to be held in Melbourne this week.
IMARC is expected to spark major, potentially volatile activity from climate change demonstrators in inner Melbourne.
Protest coalition Blockade IMARC Alliance said these are “urgent times and they call for an urgent mass response” and have vowed to shut down as much of the event as they can.
Eleven protest groups are expected to be active at IMARC, which will be held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Acting Commander Tim Tully said some had been willing to talk to police over the past two months about what they were intending.
But he said some of the more radical groups had not.
“That’s been frustrating because of a lack of engagement,” Cdr Tully said.
Police are expecting disruption to traffic, public transport and pedestrian movement in the South Wharf area with flow-on impact in the CBD.
There is also the possibility of “lock-on” protests and swarming activity.
“We’re planning for the worst case scenario,” Cdrr Tully said.
“Our intelligence would suggest we’ll see significant and sustained protest activity.”
Protesters are banning on the windows of the Convention Centre @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/kcV18gamaP
— Alanah Frost (@akfrost_) October 27, 2019
He said police expected the demonstrators to use “heightened tactics” similar to what was used by the Extinction Rebellion groups, which included demonstrating at intersection and shutting down CBD streets to traffic.
Commander Tully said there was a frustrating lack of engagement from protest groups before the IMARC conference.
He said the group wanted to cause maximum disruption to the conference but there may be spillover impacts around South Wharf and parts of the CBD. Cdr Tully urged the public to avoid that area while the protests were taking place.
There were about 11 different protest groups, including the hardline activists that blockaded city intersection during the Extinction Rebellion protests last month.
About 80 people turned out to a pre-blockade meeting on Sunday where organisers outlined plans for the week — including using decoy groups to distract police, blocking entrances to the centre and attempting to get into the conference itself.
“We want to make life hell,” one said.
Groups Extinction Rebellion, Anti-Fascist Action Melbourne and Frontline Action on Coal have each urged followers to cause “mass civil disobedience.”
Tuesday will be the main day of protest, with a mass blockade planned on Clarendon Street.
Cdr Tully said the force respected the right to protest but law-breaking would not be tolerated.
“We will act and we will act swiftly. Our intention is to facilitate a peaceful protest,” he said.
There are concerns the protest activity could rival the World Economic Forum pandemonium of 2000 or the 2006 G20 demonstrations.
Thousands of protesters attended the WEF event with repeated confrontations in the Crown Casino precinct.
WHAT IS IMARC?
IMARC will run from Monday to Thursday.
It is billed as hosting 7000 decision-makers and mining industry leaders from around the world.
Police will also be wary of the potential for trouble at linked events, including a gala dinner to be held at the Crown Palladium room.
Cdr Tully said conference organisers had a private security strategy in place and officers were not part of that.
“Our role is external to that event. It is to manage public order,” he said.
Police will be brought in from other regions to help cover the massive commitment.
Blockade IMARC Alliance is planning a campaign of civic disobedience in Melbourne and hopes to achieve “sustained disruption”.
MORE NEWS
THREE-MONTH RAIL SHUTDOWN SET TO STING COMMUTERS
CONCERNS FOR RETAILERS AHEAD OF PLASTIC BAG BAN
STARK REMINDER FOR AUSSIE MEN THIS MOVEMBER
According to a statement, the group has released a “preliminary schedule” for the protests which will kick off on Monday.
“Blockade IMARC Alliance organisers aim to use mass civil disobedience to disrupt the climate and corporate criminals,” the statement said.
It is expected the IMARC campaign will be bigger than the recent Extinction Rebellion demonstrations.
That round of activity closed major CBD intersections as those involved tried to push the climate change message.