New South Wales police have arrested 141 people who attempted to block the shipping channel in Newcastle Harbour during Rising Tide protests, which began on Thursday. Three people suspended themselves from a bulk carrier and unfurled a banner on Sunday morning.
The world's largest coal export port cancelled all shipping movements for three hours on Sunday following an on-water climate change protest. The Port Authority of NSW made the call at around 1pm after hundreds of protesters took to the water on kayaks and watercraft as part of Rising Tide’s annual protest, blocking coal ships.
In a statement, the Port Authority said 'a dynamic risk-based decision was made to abort the movement of an inbound ship movement … due to alleged protester activity posing a risk to safety'. The statement said the suspension affected another two vessels.
Police said 121 people had been charged with marine-related offences and 18 were dealt with under the Young Offenders Act since the protest event began on Thursday. Another two people were in the process of being charged, a NSW Police spokesperson said. In a statement, NSW Police said it adopts a 'zero-tolerance approach to actions which threaten public safety and the safe passage of vessels'.
Rising Tide community organiser Zack Schofield said the police had taken 'the wrong approach' to the protest. 'They've wasted thousands upon thousands of dollars of public money on an over-policed response,' she said. Rising Tide said its demonstration has been successful after its paddle-outs forced two bulk carriers to turn around and not enter the port.
Two people representing Greenpeace were also arrested on Sunday after securing themselves to the anchor chain and sides of the 81,000-tonne coal ship Yangze 16. Greenpeace Australia Pacific campaigner Joe Rafalowicz said the activists were calling on the government to stop approving new fossil fuel projects.
