Bob Brown Foundation protester remanded over alleged assault during protest action

The Bob Brown Foundation has lashed out at the “excessive, obscene” treatment of one of its protesters, who was remanded after being arrested following protest activity. LATEST >>

• East Coast to struggle between a rock and a hard place
• Man who shot and cut up mate to spend decades behind bars

THE Bob Brown Foundation says it is outraged after one of its protesters was remanded in custody for the weekend after being charged with assault during a protest action.

The foundation on Friday night named Billy Rodwell as the protester who had been charged with the assault of a site worker on the West Coast.

It said Mr Rodwell faced court and was remanded in custody, describing it as “overkill”.

Foundation campaign organiser Jenny Weber said the man was a 23-year-old visitor from Victoria and they were outraged by the development.

“It’s excessive, obscene, and harsh treatment of protesters in Tasmania,” she said.

Tasmania Police confirmed a 23-year-old man from Victoria had appeared in court and was remanded to appear in court again in Burnie on Monday

EARLIER:

THE Bob Brown Foundation has denied one of its protesters assaulted a site worker during protest activity on Tasmania’s West Coast on Friday morning.

Tasmania Police said a 23-year-old man from Ballan in Victoria had been arrested, saying police would allege he assaulted a worker at the site.

The man has been charged and was expected to face court on Friday evening.

But the Bob Brown Foundation said the protester denies the assault occurred and said other protesters witnessed the alleged incident.

“The takayna/Tarkine forests should be left to keep growing for millennia as they have been,’’ campaign organiser Jenny Weber said.

“Tasmania Police don’t need to be in there and MMG should withdraw from destroying the rainforests in there.”

Protest action by the Bob Brown Foundation on the state’s West Coast. Picture: Supplied.

The environmentalist group was protesting in the area against miner MMG’s plan for a new tailings storage site to replace existing facilities.

The Foundation says the site the company is looking at is in pristine Tarkine rainforest.

Police said they attended the site on Helilog Rd near Rosebery on the West Coast about 10.20am where four protesters were in attendance.

They said two of them followed a police direction to move on.

In addition to the arrested man, another protester, a 31-year-old woman from Lenah Valley, was arrested and charged with failing to comply with a direction of a police officer.

She was bailed to appear in court at a later date.

An MMG spokesman said the company’s number one concern was the safety of those on site, including workers and protesters.

“We have real concerns for tactics that put people at risk,’’ he said.

“We thank Tasmania Police for their support thus far to maintain safety at the site.”

Follow @cwhiteley12