New South Wales police have arrested and charged eleven climate activists during a major environmental demonstration that successfully prevented a coal ship from entering Newcastle harbour on Saturday.
Mass Gathering at World's Largest Coal Port
Thousands of protesters converged on Newcastle for the annual Rising Tide climate blockade, including Australian Greens leader Larissa Waters, who joined hundreds of participants paddling kayaks in a coordinated flotilla action. The demonstration targeted the world's largest coal export port in a dramatic show of opposition to fossil fuel exports.
The NSW government had established an exclusion zone covering most of Newcastle harbour until 7am Monday, with authorities warning that protesters breaching the marked boundaries would face enforcement action.
Arrests and Confrontations in Shipping Channel
According to police statements, eleven individuals faced charges for alleged marine-related offences by 1:30pm on Saturday during what authorities described as a "high-visibility police operation" in Newcastle. However, climate organisation Rising Tide reported higher numbers, claiming nineteen arrests with some subsequently released without charge.
The confrontation escalated when activists entered the main shipping channel leading into Newcastle harbour. Rising Tide stated that ten swimmers were pulled from the water by police after attempting to swim across the channel, while four kayakers approaching from the Stockton side were also detained.
Five additional protesters, including members of the Knitting Nannas group, were arrested after entering the shipping channel on a small boat, though the knitting activists were later released without facing charges.
Successful Disruption and Legal Consequences
The direct action achieved its immediate objective when the coal ship Cemtex Leader, scheduled to enter the harbour, was forced to turn around after police lost control of the channel according to protest organisers.
Those arrested face varying legal consequences. Some have been charged with entering a marine exclusion zone, which carries a maximum fine of $1100, while others face more serious allegations under anti-protest laws that could result in up to two years' imprisonment.
Newcastle parent Jonathon Dykyj, one of the swimmers who entered the channel, defended the action despite the personal risk. "The personal consequences to me of getting arrested today pale into insignificance compared to the consequences that runaway climate change will have on our community", he stated.
Dykyj criticised the Albanese government for "failing the working families of the Hunter Valley by not protecting us from climate damage, and not planning for a just transition for coal workers."
Australian Greens leader Larissa Waters documented her participation in the kayak flotilla on social media, posting video footage of the protest. "We are part of a flotilla of thousands of good-hearted people fighting for a safe climate and I could not be more proud to be out here on the water with them", Waters declared in her Instagram post.
The Newcastle blockade represents one of Australia's largest climate demonstrations this year, combining elements of festival atmosphere with serious civil disobedience as participants knowingly risked arrest to draw attention to their cause.
