From the Guardian · · 2m
Six hundred paddle past police to block coal port
Rising Tide activists take to the water at Newcastle port after a court victory overturns a government ban on their protest.
In brief
Rising Tide activists take to the water at Newcastle port after a court victory overturns a government ban on their protest. About six hundred Rising Tide climate protesters paddled into Newcastle port on Saturday after winning a supreme court case to overturn a police ban, with no arrests made during the action…
Six hundred paddlers block coal port
About six hundred Rising Tide activists paddled kayaks and water crafts into Newcastle port on Saturday. Hundreds more protested onshore. No arrests were made during the action.
The protest message
Protesters unfurled a sign reading coal exports equals climate chaos. They demanded funding for coal workers to transition to new jobs and a safe and livable climate.
“coal exports = climate chaos”
Rising Tide calls out inaction
Rising Tide spokesperson Joe Hallenstein said the protest aimed to call out the lack of climate action by Anthony Albanese and Chris Minns, who are approving new coal and gas projects.
“As hypocritical Albo parades around Cop thirty-one urging world leaders to take stronger climate action, back home he and his Labor counterpart, premier Chris Minns, are approving new coal and gas projects and attempting to silence us.”
Government and police attempt ban
Newcastle city council, in consultation with Chris Minns and police minister Yasmin Catley, banned Rising Tide from using council-owned land for protests. Catley labelled Rising Tide bad faith actors.
Court overturns police permit denial
Rising Tide submitted a form one permit to police two months in advance. Police took six weeks to deny it. Justice Edward Muston sided with protesters on Friday, overturning the denial.
Judge prioritises political expression
Justice Muston acknowledged safety risks but said Rising Tide had mitigated them. He found that the public interest in political expression through assembly outweighs police concerns.
“Ultimately, I found that in balancing the considerations, the public interest in the facilitation of political expression through assembly outweighs the legitimate concerns which have been expressed by the commissioner.”
Festival planned for February
Rising Tide will hold its annual six-day festival in Newcastle in February, one of the biggest climate protests in Australia. It remains unclear how the council land ban will affect it.
Demands include coal export deadline
The group demands cancellation of all new fossil fuel projects, an end to coal exports from Newcastle by twenty thirty, and taxing fossil fuel profits at seventy eight percent for transitions.
The key point
About six hundred Rising Tide climate protesters paddled into Newcastle port on Saturday after winning a supreme court case to overturn a police ban, with no arrests made during the action.