Coal ship turned around by Newcastle coal port blockade, 19 people arrested
Saturday 29 November
This afternoon 19 people were arrested at Rising Tide’s People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coal Port. The arrests were made as kayakers, a small boat and swimmers entered the shipping channel leading into Newcastle Harbour, to prevent the passage of a coal ship.
Photos and vision are available here.
10 swimmers were pulled from the water by police as they swam across the channel. Four kayakers entered the channel from the Stockton side, opposite Horseshoe Beach, and were arrested.
Additionally five people on a small boat that entered the shipping channel were arrested. This included 4 members of the Knitting Nannas and Hunter Valley grandmothers Lynn Benn and Julia Lee. The Knitting Nannas have been released without charge, the boat driver is still in police custody.
As a result of the protest NSW Police lost control of the channel, and a coal ship named Cemtex Leader scheduled to enter the harbour was forced to turn around (image of ship tracking is available here).
Some protestors have been released without charge and others have been charged with 18B of the Marine Safety Act for entering a marine exclusion zone which carries a maximum of $1100 fine. Others have been charged with the “anti-protest” laws 214Awhich carries a maximum penalty of 2 year imprisonment.
The arrests followed the official launch of the People’s Blockade at 11am with over 500 people entering the water in kayaks, and speeches by protest organisers, coal workers, high school students, Torres Strait Traditional Owners, Pacific Islander church leaders and the leader of the Australian Greens Larissa Waters.
Photos and vision of the action and the press conference are available here.
Jonathon Dykyj, Newcastle parent and one of the swimmers who were arrested said:
“The personal consequences to me of getting arrested today pale into insignificance compared to the consequences that runaway climate change will have on our community, our lives and the lives of our children. The Albanese government is failing the working families of the Hunter Valley by not protecting us from climate damage, and not planning for a just transition for coal workers.”
Mina Bui Jones, community worker and resident of the Hunter Valley said that:
“I got arrested today because I’m so worried about the climate crisis which we’re all experiencing now. I live in a former coal mining town and I’ve seen what happens when coal companies move on from communities when they’ve taken what they wanted. I want coal companies to be held accountable for what they extract both from the land and from the communities in this beautiful region.”
Media contact: 0414 199 645 / media@risingtide.org.au
More media updates can be found at www.risingtide.org.au/media
