West Gate Bridge protester Joseph Zammit apologises to mum forced to give birth on side of road

A climate protester whose blockade of the West Gate Bridge caused a mother to give birth on the side of a busy road has apologised to the family, saying he would “hate it to happen to my wife”.

A climate activist whose blockade of the West Gate Bridge forced a mother to give birth on the side of the road said the incident was “unfortunate” and he would “hate it to happen to my wife”.

Joseph Zammit was one of three protesters who used a truck to block three city-bound lanes of the West Gate Bridge on Tuesday morning, sparking traffic chaos.

Tarneit mother Roshni Lad was forced to give birth on the side on the road on Tuesday after she and her husband hit a traffic jam on the Ring Road about 9:30am as they drove to hospital.

Mr Zammit on Wednesday apologised to the mother and said it was not his intention to disrupt emergency services.

“I’m very, very sorry that this happened… I would hate it to happen to my wife,” he told ABC Melbourne radio.

“It’s just incredibly unfortunate.”

Mr Zammit leaving the Magistrates Court on Tuesday night. Picture: Ian Currie

Mr Zammit during his West Gate Bridge protest. Picture: Supplied.

Mr Zammit said it was not the intention of the protesters to stop people getting medical care.

“Our intent is to stress the message that we are in a climate crisis,” he said.

“We do what we can with the best of intentions. Things don’t always work our perfectly. It’s unfortunate for this lady and I’m very grateful that the baby, you know, was born well and happy and I saw the photograph of the mother with the baby. They looked fine and I’m grateful for that.”

Roshni Lad with her newborn son at St Vincent’s Hospital.

Mr Zammit said protesters like him were being “pushed” to take radical action because he did not believe the Australian government was doing enough to tackle climate change.

“Yes, we’re pushing the envelope in order to try to make things happen,” he said.

“We are very sorry that (roadside birth) happened but we are also very sorry that we have to push the envelope and take these rather extreme measures to get heard.”

Mr Zammit, from Burnside Heights, was granted bail on Tuesday night after indicting he would plead guilty to charges of public nuisance and obstructing emergency workers.

The 68-year-old will return to court on April 16.

The protest caused a 25km traffic jam along the West Gate Freeway and Princess Freeway with cars at a standstill as far back as Point Cook Rd.

The Deer Park Bypass on the M80 Ring Road was also affected, along with surrounding streets across the inner west.

Victoria Minister for Police Anthony Carbines has branded the protesters “idiots”, while Greens MP for Melbourne Ellen Sandell praised them as “courageous” and “brave”.