Two climate change protesters arrested during a major blockade at the Port of Newcastle have been granted bail after spending a night in custody.
Court Hears Details of Harbour Disruption
Erin Farley, 29, and fellow Rising Tide activist Ray Izaguirre appeared in Newcastle Bail Court on Monday, December 1, 2025. The court heard the pair were allegedly involved in a protest action that stalled shipping operations at the world's largest coal port for approximately two hours on Sunday, November 30.
Police prosecutors stated the blockade occurred between 12.45pm and 2.45pm. Farley and Izaguirre were each charged with entering or remaining on a major facility—the Port of Newcastle—causing its closure, and contravening a notice regulating vessel use. Farley faced an additional charge of escaping police custody.
Legal Argument Centres on Scale of Disruption
The defence lawyer for the pair, Trish Kashyap from Climate Defenders Australia, argued a key point of the prosecution's case was weak. She stated the court would need to determine if a "two-hour delay of shipping operations" constituted a serious disruption or merely a minor one.
Kashyap described the protest as "entirely non-violent" and said Farley's actions were driven by "altruistic" intentions to protest climate change. She explained Izaguirre's connection to the cause stemmed from the potential impact of mining near his hometown of Dumaresq Valley.
Regarding the escape custody charge, Kashyap claimed it occurred when Farley, who was seasick and vomiting on a police boat, lost her balance but was immediately apprehended.
Strict Bail Conditions Imposed
The police prosecutor opposed bail, arguing the protesters' actions created serious dangers for themselves, police officers, and port crews. The court also heard Farley had an outstanding matter of a similar nature from a year prior, and Izaguirre was already on bail for an unrelated alleged offence.
Despite these objections, both activists were released on strict conditions. Erin Farley must reside at her home in Mindaribba near Maitland and is prohibited from going near the Port of Newcastle. Ray Izaguirre must live at his Dumaresq Valley address, cannot enter any port in New South Wales, and must notify police if he travels for his tree-lopping work.
Neither defendant was required to enter a plea, and their cases were adjourned to a later date.
The arrests were part of a significant police operation during the Rising Tide group's "People's Blockade of the World's Largest Coal Port." Authorities reported that by 5.30pm on Sunday, 141 people involved in the protest had been arrested. This included 18 juveniles dealt with under the Young Offenders Act and 212 adults charged.
