Victoria Police promise swift action to stop protesters disrupting an international mining conference
Victoria Police promise swift action to stop climate protesters disrupting an international mining conference in Melbourne.
Climate protesters will blockade the entrance to an international mining conference Tuesday with more than 20 splinter groups uniting to lobby against climate change, the mining industry and indigenous land rights.
Victoria Police have said they are prepared to “act swiftly” to deal with heightened tactics used by protesters seeking to disrupt the International Mining and Resources Conference but the protesters claim any violence would likely come from the delegates.
Frontline Action against Coal and Latin American Solidarity Network spokeswoman Ani Ray said the companies attending the conference were destroying the planet, causing climate chaos and stealing indigenous land.
“We as the protesters are committing to nonviolence so there won’t be any violence from our end,” she said.
“It sometimes happens [the delegates] get really riled up and they barge their way in and get really physical so that’s disappointing.”
Ray said she spent time in Latin American which opened her eyes to the role of big corporations based in Australia such as BHP and their impact overseas.
“It made me feel quite responsible as an Australian,” she said.
“Global citizens have a responsibility to try and shut down what they’re doing because people are dying, people are being killed for standing up.”
The conference began sessions on Monday ahead of the start of the official three-day program on Tuesday.
Protesters yesterday chanted “IMARC blood on your hands,” “shut Adani down” and “burn, burn, burn the rich.”
Victoria Police north west metro region acting commander Tim Tully said police were aware of 11 protest groups and were expecting the protesters at the conference to use similar tactics to the Extinction Rebellion protesters
“We expect heightened tactics by the protest group other than what we saw across the past month or so with the protest activity across the CBD,” he said.
“We are well prepared to respond to these heightened tactics.”
He said up to 300 officers are assigned to the protests each day.
“The warning to the protesters is we’re there to facilitate a safe and peaceful protest,” Commander Tully said.
“We can work with you in actually achieving that however it needs to be lawful, it needs to have minimal disruption to the community.”
He advised people to avoid the area if possible and to listen to police instructions and news networks for information.
Extinction Rebellion protesters shut down a number of city intersections in Melbourne in early October, gluing themselves to road as part of a national protest movement.
Extinction Rebellion’s actions are centred around three demands including that government tell the “truth” by declaring a climate and ecological emergency. They also demand that governments act now to stop biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. The third demand is that governments create and be led by the decisions of a Citizen’s Assembly on climate and ecological justice.
Federal Resources Minister Matt Canavan is scheduled to attend the mining conference on Wednesday.
Attendees to the conference are advised not to display delegate badges, lanyards or clothing branded with mining relevant brands until they are passed the entrances.
An advice notice to delegates also warns not to engage in discussions with the protesters either in person or online and to accept any leaflets before disposing of them out of sight.
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