Wild scenes as dozens of anti-coal protestors are arrested, shutting down a Newcastle shipping port
More than a hundred climate protesters have been arrested after allegedly ignoring police orders while temporarily closing a key shipping channel in Newcastle.
The demonstration, organized by activism group Rising Tide, took place at the city’s port this weekend.
Police say a large group of people entered a shipping channel on Sunday and disrupted the movement of ships.
The NSW Port Authority has now suspended all shipping.
According to police, 138 people were arrested after refusing to obey an order to leave the canal.
The group, which organized the major multi-day protest, claimed it was a victory that a coal ship had to remain at the dock.
Police say they have “a zero-tolerance policy towards actions that endanger public safety and the safe passage of ships.”
A NSW Port Authority spokesperson said all shipping had been suspended.
More than 100 protesters who took part in the Rising Tide demonstration were arrested in Newcastle (pictured)
The climate protesters were arrested after failing to comply with a police directive to clear the shipping channel at Newcastle Harbor (photo police confronting protesters)
“In consultation with NSW Police and stakeholders, a risk-based decision has been made to temporarily suspend shipping,” the spokesperson said.
“The protest activities have compromised the safety of the shipping channel and created an unacceptable potential risk to public safety, the port and the environment.”
Images show about 150 people waving anti-coal signs and paddling into the canal in bright colors in kayaks.
Officers on inflatable police boats and jet skis were seen dragging protesters into the police vessel.
Laws in NSW make it illegal to obstruct the safe passage of a vessel.
The police request that no one else block the shipping channel.
“Unlawful activities may result in fines or imprisonment,” police said in a statement.
“NSW Police will take a zero-tolerance approach to actions that endanger public safety and the safe passage of vessels.”
There were about 150 people waving anti-coal signs and paddling into the canal in kayaks. Police used jet skis and police boats to arrest the protesters (photo demonstrators gathered at Newcastle Harbour)
A spokeswoman for protest organizers Rising Tide said in a video that protesters were cheering about the disruption of ships.
“We have blocked the largest coal port in the world,” said the spokeswoman, who went by Alexa in the caption.
‘The mood here on the beach is just great. Everyone is so excited, so excited and so hopeful.”
The attempt to block the ship was part of a 10-day ‘protestival’ organized by climate activist group Rising Tide, which saw thousands of people visit the world’s largest coal port.
Midnight Oil frontman and former Labor MP Peter Garrett performed at the protest with his bandmate guitarist Martin Rotsey.
“Is the real threat to the Hunter region one group of citizens exercising their democratic rights, or continuing to export the materials that will burn the world in a furnace?” Garrett said.
Thousands of people attended the demonstration (photo)
More than 100 people were arrested at last year’s event, which organizers said was the largest climate justice civil disobedience in Australia’s history.
Earlier this month, NSW Police launched proceedings in the NSW Supreme Court to have the protest declared unauthorized on security grounds.
Judge Desmond Fagan ruled in favor of the NSW Police and banned the planned protests on land and water.
But Rising Tide said they retained the right to peaceful assembly.
Maritime NSW attempted to create an exclusion zone around Newcastle Harbour, but that decision was overturned following a successful High Court challenge by Rising Tide.
City of Newcastle Mayor Dr Ross Kerridge released a statement earlier this month supporting the Camp Shortland event going ahead, provided event organizers told people to stay out of the fairway.