More than 140 arrested as activists block coal ships from entering the Port of Newcastle
An activist who allegedly collided with a police jet ski has been charged, and two Greenpeace protesters who suspended themselves to the side of a coal ship have been arrested.
An activist who allegedly collided with a police jet ski has been charged, and two Greenpeace protesters suspended from the side of a coal ship have been arrested, as hundreds of people sought to block coal ships from entering the Port of Newcastle.
More than 140 people were arrested by Sunday evening, including 18 minors, on the fourth day of an annual blockade by climate group Rising Tide.
Police on Sunday called out the “unsafe behaviour of event attendees” and said they had a “zero-tolerance approach to actions which threaten public safety and the safe passage of vessels”.
The Northern Region Commander, Assistant Commissioner David Waddell, said while it was a yearly event, there had been an “escalation in the types of offences and activities”.
Police said they had been called to an alleged assault at the Rising Tide campsite, and were told several people were involved in an incident where a 46-year-old man sustained cuts on his back, arms, legs, and head. He was taken to the Calvary Mater Hospital in a stable condition.
A 17-year-old was also injured.
An 18-year-old, who allegedly had a weapon, was later charged with domestic violence assault and reckless wounding offences.
The shipping port, one of the largest on Australia’s east coast, was forced to close for three hours, as hundreds took to the harbour in kayaks and small boats. More than 30 people were charged with marine-related offences.
A coal ship was turned back on Sunday afternoon, the Port of Newcastle confirmed.
Greenpeace Australia Pacific posted videos to its social media pages showing three activists who had abseiled down the Yangze 16 with professional climbing equipment about 9.20am on Sunday unfurling a 5m-long sign that said “Phase out coal and gas”.
An activist named Ellen filmed herself hanging from the ship saying “This ship was due to go into Newcastle Port, which is the world’s largest coal port ... and we have stopped (it)”. Two women remained on the ship for more than three hours before a police helicopter arrived and arrested them. The third had disembarked from the boat earlier, Greenpeace said.
Police said malicious damage had allegedly been done to the ship and “inquiries into the incident were ongoing”.
Earlier, NSW police on a jet ski allegedly pursued a Zodiac boat that had entered an exclusion zone and failed to stop as directed along Newcastle harbour before the boat collided with the jet ski.
A 26-year-old woman was arrested and charged with contravening a notice prohibiting/regulating use of vessels, operate a recreational vessel negligently, and hindering or resisting police in the execution of duty. She was granted strict conditional bail.
“The NSW Police Force recognises and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights of free speech and peaceful assembly; however, the priority for NSW police is always the safety of the wider community and there will be zero tolerance for illegal and dangerous behaviour,” NSW police said in a statement.
Rising Tide organiser Zack Schofield earlier demanded that no new coal mines be approved by Anthony Albanese. “We congratulate the Prime Minister on his marriage. Now it’s time for him to divorce the Minerals Council and the coal industry and stop approving new coalmines,” he said.
With Newswire
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