At least 50 activists have been charged following an unauthorised climate protest in the Hunter region on Sunday.
About 10am on 16 April, officers attached to Newcastle City Police District, along with specialist police resources, attended Tourle Street, Sandgate, in relation to the Rising Tide demonstration, which disrupted the local rail corridor to the Port of Newcastle for approximately four hours.
Twenty people scaled a train and used shovels to unload coal from the laden wagons, while a large banner was unfurled stating: “Survival guide for humanity: No new coal.”
One of the organisers, law student Zack Schofield, demanded Labor follow the lead of the United Nations.
“The Albanese government is allowing massive new fossil fuel projects to proceed, driving climate disasters and devastation for everyday people,” the 24-year-old said.
“What will Chris Minns’ new NSW government do?
“This is an emergency but we’re yet to see the ALP take decisive action.
“NSW is facing the largest coal expansion since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015.
“The Hunter Valley Operations’ expansion alone would produce more than a third of NSW’s domestic emissions for the next 25 years.
“Our leaders are failing us, so ordinary citizens must now intervene.
“Regardless of attempts to repress climate protests with harsh new laws, we will not be silenced, because legal consequences are far less terrifying than runaway climate collapse and social breakdown.”
After police spoke to the group, 47 people were issued court attendance notices for offences including obstructing a railway (locomotive), assist in obstructing a rail locomotive, aggravated enter enclosed lands and interfere with business, and enter enclosed lands.
It is also two more damaged property and a third person assaulted a security officer, all while attempting to gain entry onto the railway corridor.
The trio were arrested and taken to Waratah Police Station.
A 32-year-old man was charged with common assault and assist in obstruction of rail locomotive or rolling stock.
A 59-year-old man was charged with destroy or damage property, cause obstruction to railway locomotive or rolling stock, and enter enclosed non-agricultural lands interfere etc business.
They were both granted bail to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Thursday 1 June.
A 47-year-old man was charged with destroy or damage property, assist in obstruction of rail locomotive or rolling stock, and enter enclosed non-agricultural lands interfere etc business.
He was bail refused to appear before Newcastle Local Court on Monday 17 April.
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