Climate protesters have brought parts of Sydney to a standstill, blocking key roads and a tunnel during rush hour.
The Blockade Australia activists began disruptions on Monday, June 27, 2022, in protest of “Australia’s ecological destruction”. Police officials disclosed that the protesters were “violent” and “erratic” while marching through the city and blocking streets with barricades and bins.
Their actions angered some motorists, with one who was filmed driving through the protest and colliding with people. New South Wales Police said more than 10 people were arrested so far. They included a woman who used a car to block the Sydney Harbour Tunnel. The woman, who livestreamed her protest, explained that she witnessed “terrifying” climate change first-hand. She identified herself as from Lismore, a town devastated by two major floods earlier this year (2022).
“There are people who are really angry right now and to those people, I understand… but we have to take a stand,” she said after a man approached and verbally abused her. She pointed out that “It is for you, for your family that we do this”.
In a report, Assistant Commissioner, Paul Dunstan, intimated that “The throwing of bicycles, the throwing of garbage bins, the throwing of other items in the path of police… media… [and] innocent members of the public just walking by will not be tolerated”. He also confirmed that Police officials are investigating footage of a car driving through protesters, adding that no injuries were reported.
In the past week, Police raided campsites of suspected protest organisers and arrested several other people. But the activists’ group, Blockade Australia, promised to bring Sydney to a “standstill” this week, which is something they said is required for people to take their message seriously. However, the new South Wales Premier, Dominic Perrottet, told a local radio station that the protesters were “bloody idiots”.
A Recap of a Similar Incident
In the past year the activist group forced stoppages at the world’s biggest coal port in Newcastle, near Sydney, and Australia’s biggest container port. It also blockaded key traffic bridges.
Those demonstrations prompted the state government to pass new laws introducing tougher penalties for persons who engage in certain protests. Demonstrators who disrupt traffic or prevent access on roads now face a maximum penalty of two years jail term and fines of up to A$22,000 (£12,400; $15000). The legislation also created new offences targeting people blocking access to major facilities such as ports and railways.
More updates coming up…
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