More coal ships disrupted by People’s Blockade of Newcastle Coal Port as police make arrests
Sunday 30 November
Shipping of coal from the port of Newcastle has again been disrupted today by the Rising Tide People’s Blockade of the world’s largest coal port in Newcastle. Another coal ship was forced to turn around as hundreds of kayaks paddled into the shipping lane of Newcastle Harbour, in defiance of a Marine Exclusion Zone.
Thousands of climate protesters gathered on Horseshoe Beach and launched another mass flotilla of hundreds of kayaks this morning. At approximately 10AM, 24 swimmers and kayakers entered the shipping channel to stop the movement of coal ships and were arrested, 22 were charged under 18b of the Marine Safety Act and two were released without charge.
Earlier in the morning Greenpeace Australia Pacific activists scaled and blocked a coal ship, bound for the Port of Newcastle, in solidarity with the People’s Blockade, deploying a banner with a message to the Australian government: “Phase Out Coal and Gas”.
At 12:50PM another 95 people in 50 kayaks breached the exclusion zone and occupied the channel, forcing a coal ship named RAGNAR to turn around. See images of ship tracking here. As the kayaks crossed the police line and entered the shipping channel the thousands strong crowd shouted “the people united will never be defeated" and “NO NEW COAL”
Police are currently in the process of making arrests. More details on precise numbers and charges to come.
Media contact: 0414 199 645 / media@risingtide.org.au
Zack Schofield, Rising Tide organiser said,
“Through our peaceful actions, we have prevented a million tonnes of coal from being exported through the port of Newcastle. Anthony Albanese claims he wants his legacy to be climate action, but he continues to approve and subsidise new coal and gas projects that are fueling the climate crisis. We are taking action because our government is failing us. This is what real climate action looks like.”
Allison Stockman, early childhood educator who was arrested this morning says:
“I swam into the shipping channel today because I’ve seen first hand the impacts that climate change is having around the world. I see so much potential in the children that I teach, and the fact that they may not be able to realise their potential because we’re destroying their future is just absolutely devastating for me. It was a difficult decision to decide to swim into the channel today and I was scared and nervous. I didn’t take this decision lightly but if I don’t do this then who will?
Catrina Sturmberg, Newcastle doctor says:
“Working as a doctor, I’ve seen how tragedy can strike anyone at any time. Climate disasters are increasing around the globe. To those making the decisions to approve new coal mines, to invest taxpayer money in propping up gas projects, I would like to say this: There is no ivory tower tall enough to isolate you and your children from the impacts of climate change. Like it or not, we are all in this together. I am stopping coal ships today for the future of my unborn child and all children everywhere.”