Next step in anti-Woodside protesters’ legal drama
A number of Disrupt Burrup Hub members have fronted court, charged after their protests outside a mining boss’ home allegedly broke the law.
A group of protesters who have targeted Western Australian-based energy giant Woodside have fronted a Perth court after their activism allegedly breached the law.
Disrupt Burrup Hub members Jessie Noakes, Gerard Mazza, Matilda Lane-Rose and Emil Davey all appeared before Perth Magistrates Court on Tuesday, charged with conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
WA Police allege the group went to the Perth home of Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill in the early hours of August 1, with the intention of carrying out a demonstration involving spray-paint.
However, the group was apprehended within minutes of arriving on the scene, with Mr Noakes, 34, and Ms Lane-Rose, 19, spending the night in custody before charges were laid.
About 30 Disrupt Burrup members and supporters, including a number of drummers, camped outside Perth’s Central Law Courts building on Tuesday morning as the matters were heard.
The group strongly opposes Woodside’s Burrup Hub gas project being developed on the Burrup Peninsula, in WA’s Pilbara region, because of both its environmental impacts and damage caused to the nearby Murujuga rock art, which are some of the oldest Indigenous pictoglyphs in the world.
The group, represented by lawyer Zarah Burgess, all had their matters adjourned until November 21.
Mr Mazza, 30, appeared in court via audio link.
Supporters outside cheered as Ms Lane-Rose and Mr Davey, 21, left the court building.
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They were met with chants of “DISRUPT THE BURRUP / F**K UP THE HUB!”
WA Police are demanding the national broadcaster hand over its footage of climate protesters.
The ABC has said it would not hand over anything which compromises the identity of those who appeared in the program under the condition of anonymity.