Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco: Dramatic arrest as protesters shut freeway in Melbourne

A well-known Sydney climate activist has been jailed after causing “catastrophic” traffic delays on a busy Melbourne freeway.

A well-known climate activist has been jailed after an Extinction Rebellion protest blocked traffic on a major Melbourne freeway.

Deanna Coco, also known as Violet Coco, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday evening after police earlier arrested three protesters using a cherry picker on the Westgate Fwy.

The 33-year-old serial protester pleaded guilty to charges of public nuisance and obstruct police.

A Victoria Police Sergeant told the court the trio disrupted peak hour traffic at about 7.30am on Tuesday by parking a rental truck across three lanes before police closed all inbound lanes.

They climbed on top of the truck before binding themselves together with metal tubing, lighting flares while also live-streaming climate action messages.

The court was told the incident prompted an “extensive” police response due to the danger posed.

The trio allegedly refused a lawful direction to move on.

“Victoria Police will always support lawful protest protest but it will not support unlawful protest — that is what this was,” the Sergeant said.

“This had a maximum impact on the public.”

Deanna Coco livestreamed part of the protest. Picture: Facebook

The trio were removed more than two hours later, with prosecutors arguing the incident caused a “massive and catastrophic inconvenience and delay to thousands of members of the public”.

Coco told the court she had been driven to act by the climate crisis, but apologised for her impact on motorists.

“I’ve spent the last five years engaging in protest ... this has come at great personal cost to myself,” she said.

“What’s coming is so dangerous we need to sound the alarm. If were not able to achieve change I want to know I’ve done everything I can.”

Two others, retiree Joseph Zammit, 68, and truck driver Bradley Homewood, 51, faced court on Tuesday evening on identical charges.

Homewood pleaded guilty to public nuisance and obstructing police, saying that while he was sorry for the impact, he viewed it as an “appropriate” response to the climate crisis.

“I understand disruption is decisive, but I am in a state of despair and feel I have nothing left,” he told the court.

“We are on the trajectory for civilisation collapse... all protest movements are vilified in their time but are vindicated by history.”

Both Coco and Homewood were jailed for 21 days by Magistrate Andrew McKenna who said the conduct must be denunciated.

“It was not justified in any sense,” he said.
“You are sentenced to 21 days — a mild, modest, almost inadequate sentence in light of the harm caused this morning.

“It seems to be a blind pursuit of a cause irrespective of the harm caused to others.”

Extinction Rebellion protesters have once again disrupted traffic on a Melbourne Freeway. Sitting atop a truck wielding “business as usual = death” signs. Picture: 9NEWS

Mr Zammit initially told the court he wanted to plead guilty and be sentenced, but later took issue with prosecutors alleging he caused a catastrophic inconvenience and impacted emergency services from travelling to Melbourne’s west.

“We didn’t block all the lanes, it’s only when police came did they block the other two lanes,” he said.

“They blocked the entire inbound of the grid — there’s a real contradiction here. Were they really worried about emergency incidents or not.

“Our message is about the climate crisis… what they suffer today is nothing compared to what will come.”

Protester Joe Zammit, 68, leaves the Magistrates Court after being arrested as part of an Extinction Rebellion protest on the Westgate Bridge. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Ian Currie

He was granted bail on the condition he not associate with co-accused and not engage in any unlawful protest activity.

A banner draped on the side of the truck read “declare a climate emergency” as protesters urge others to join their cause and bring it to the government.

“Long live the rebellion, join us, be on the right side of history,” one protester standing on top of the truck said.

“Follow your heart, come on board, give the government a shake up … the sooner we can address this crisis then we don’t have to do these awkward, horrible protests,” he said.

Deanna Coco had convictions overturned in New South Wales last year after successfully appealing a 15-month sentence. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Nikki Short

Another protester also acknowledged the protest is “annoying”, as cars drive past beeping and swearing, but added it’s also “peaceful” and necessary.

“We are in a climate and ecological emergency,” she said.

“We’ve only got one planet, it’s our home … we are in danger of losing our liveable planet. It’s time to act as if your house is on fire, because it is.”

Officers from Search and Rescue used a cherry picker to effect the arrests and lower the trio down safely about 9.45am.

The protest comes as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit kicked off in Melbourne on Monday.

Climate protesters have caused peak-hour chaos after blocking a major bridge in Melbourne. Picture: Supplied.

Extinction Rebellion is pushing for Australia to declare a climate and ecological emergency at The Summit, and to “[call] on other ASEAN leaders to do the same”.

Ms Coco jailed for 15 months in New South Wales in 2022 under controversial anti-protest laws after driving a truck onto the Sydney Harbour Bridge in April.

The jail sentence was overturned the following year by Judge Mark Williams after NSW police backtracked on a claim the protesters had blocked an ambulance.

Those charges included possessing a bright light signal in a public place and refusing or failing to comply with direction.

Meanwhile, Coco was resentenced for several charges related to the incident, including entering the Sydney Harbour Bridge to disrupt vehicles, resisting or hindering a police officer in the execution of duty and using a modified authorised explosive not as prescribed.

She was given a 12 month conditional release order.

Originally published as Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco: Dramatic arrest as protesters shut freeway in Melbourne