Tom (23) has suspended himself from pole and rope structures to block road access points to the Port of Botany in Sydney.
Tom is from ‘Blockade Australia’, a direct action network of climate activists. He says he will continue to block the Port of Botany until removed by police.
Port Botany was the site of first contact when Europeans colonised this continent in 1788. It is now one of Australia’s largest container ports, with 1600 ships and 2.5 million containers processed per year. It also specialises in bulk liquid imports like petroleum and natural gas.
Tom is currently suspended 9m above the ground from a steel monopole, He is blocking Friendship road, the only exit out of the container port. A banner hangs from the pole reading ‘Less placards, more lock ons’. Together the two activists are blocking all road entry and exit points to a major container port.
“For decades Australia has blocked meaningful climate action to protect the profits of extractive and exploiting industries.” Tom said “Climate campaigning has failed. Methods such as petitions, rallies and lobbying have not worked. These methods are a part of the illusion that are able to vote in a government that cares about the climate crisis. This is false.”
“There’s no chance for climate justice within a system based on exploitation and oppression. Organised nonviolent resistance is our only real chance to create the change required. That is why I’m taking this action today”.
Last year in November, we saw Blockade Australia shut down the Newcastle Coal Port for 11 consecutive days, with 27 arrests made during this period: https://www.facebook.com/BlockadeAustralia/posts/295652705763945
Blockade Australia is calling on everyone to join them for a week of disruptive action where similar tactics will be used to shut down Sydney, starting on the 27th of June
Facebook Livestream: https://fb.watch/bUzUmjfx2l/
