Action Updates

Blockade Australia activists slammed with extreme bails conditions and imprisoned | 23 Jun 2022 | Action Updates | Media Releases | Sydney

Climate activists associated with Blockade Australia have been slammed with extreme bail conditions and imprisoned for weeks after being arrested in a chaotic raid of a property west of Sydney over the weekend. The raid was triggered after activists spotted camouflaged, unmarked police officers filming them from the bush on the property. Following this, dozens of police stormed the site, detaining and searching those on the property for most of the day.

Seven people were arrested and given charges with maximum sentences of up to ten years.

Of the seven, five have been released under extreme and punitive bail conditions. These include residing only at their designated bail address, reporting weekly to the local police station, remaining within the state, and not entering the Sydney CBD. In addition, activists have been given unprecedented non-association orders which prevent them from interacting with designated members of their community. These are extremely controlling and unusual measures for non-violent activists, particularly given that no crimes were underway.

The remaining two arrestees have been refused bail and will be imprisoned for weeks until their court hearings on the 12th of July.

In the days after the raid, an additional activist was arrested by plain-clothed police at a Sydney train station.

An activist associated with the group said “this is an extremely concerning escalation in the repression of climate activists by police. It is intended to intimidate those who seek to challenge climate destruction on this continent with the threat of imprisonment, and to protect the systems destroying our future from community resistance.”

“It is a weaponization of the legal system to attack and disempower activists. The fact that these sorts of responses by police are becoming increasingly frequent presents a huge threat to democracy and must be actively resisted by communities.”

This comes in the lead up to Blockade Australia’s Sydney mobilization to resist climate destruction from July 27th.

Spying & Raid of Blockade Australia Property is Insane Police Overreach | 21 Jun 2022 | Action Updates | Media Releases | Sydney
Armed, camouflaged police officers in an unmarked car stalk Blockade Australia camp

Recently found footage shows four unidentified police officers who had been secretly recording activists on a private property West of Sydney.

The footage shows two plain-clothed officers who entered the property in the vehicle, and two officers in full camouflage who had been spotted by individuals on the property hiding in the bushes filming them.

The two armed, camouflaged people found hiding above our campsite did not speak to those or the property, or identify themselves to or offer any sign to indicate that they were police officers. The vehicle was subsequently driven into activists on the driveway attempting to leave.

At no point did any of the climate activists harm or threaten to harm the camouflaged intruders or occupants of the vehicle. It is possible that the unmarked car was dented when it smashed into their bodies however we cannot verify this.

Camouflaged, masked police emerge from bush

No crimes have been committed on the property, and this spying and raid demonstrate an immense overreach of power.

An activist associated with Blockade Australia said “This is a clear example of the frightening repression by police being increasingly faced by activists on this continent. It shows a deeply concerning vision of the attacks on democracy preventing meaningful action on climate destruction”

By nightfall, 7 people were in custody and around 40 people were stranded in the Blue Mountains, many with no bedding or warm clothing. Several people who had fled into the bush when they saw the armed intruders were unaccounted for. With temperatures rapidly dropping and no communications, those forced to leave the property were acutely worried.

Footage of police can be viewed here

Police actions at Colo Valley: WE ARE NOT THE ONES WITH THE GUNS | 20 Jun 2022 | Action Updates | Sydney

NSW Police made a number of statements yesterday (19/06/22) in relation to a raid on a campsite occupied by Blockade Australia activists in Colo Valley. We would like to set the record straight.

At 8.30am on 19/06/22, climate activists in the Colo valley became aware of two people in full camouflage gear hiding in the bush above a camp occupied by Blockade Australia climate activists. We approached the two people, who were armed and masked, and spoke to them. The camouflaged people did not respond to our questions but remained stationary and silent. There were no police markings on their camouflage gear. They did not identify themselves as police. When they did not speak or move a climate activist tapped one of the camouflaged people on the shoulder and asked if they were okay. The person was heard to say, “We’ve been compromised”. 

The two armed, camouflaged people found hiding above our campsite did not speak to us or identify themselves to us or offer any sign to indicate that they were police officers. At 9am a large black car sped down the private driveway to our campsite. The two camouflaged people ran towards it. They grabbed and pushed several climate activists before jumping into the vehicle. The vehicle contained two men carrying guns, wearing black tops and jeans. The vehicle and its occupants had no police markings. We asked the persons to identify themselves but none of the four occupants spoke with us. The vehicle then accelerated and sped towards people standing on the road. Two people were struck by the car and injured.

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Raid Underway at Blockade Australia Camp | 19 Jun 2022 | Action Updates | Photos | Sydney

A massive police raid is underway at a NSW property where climate activists connected with Blockade Australia are camped. Around 100 police including a dog squad, PORT squad with body armour and full face helmets, cammo squads, helicopters, CIB plus ordinary uniformed police surrounded the bush property and have commenced search and seizure procedures. It is unclear what the legal basis is for the raid. Direct actions taken by climate activists in the past have included blocking coal ports, bridges and fossil fuel terminals. No harm to other people has ever occurred during these climate protests. Climate activist Zelda Grimshaw said “This is insane police overreach. No actual crimes have been committed by the climate activists at the camp. These are ordinary people trying to protect earth’s life support systems. This level of police repression of the climate movement is unprecedented. We are now suffering multiple impacts of Australia’s continued climate destruction with unprecedented fires, floods, and repression’.

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Botany road and rail abseiling activist | 31 Mar 2022 | Action Updates | Photos | Port Botany

Early this morning, Wenz (29) climbed off the road bridge next to the ‘Port Botany’ sign, blocking the rail to and from the port.

“Blockading Port Botany impacts the flow of wealth and so, reaches people with power. Other methods of protest haven’t solved the climate crisis, but direct action has the potential to create the change we need”

“The climate crisis is a systemic issue and so the only way to address it is by hindering Australia’s operation”

Wenz

Blockade Australia will be hosting regular information sessions online and in-person so people can get involved. Then we will take to the streets and cause mass political chaos for those causing climate chaos from June 27.

“We are living through climate collapse, it is here now and it is more important than ever to take collective action”

Wenz
CLIMATE ACTIVIST CHARGES INTO PORT BOTANY & ABSEILS OFF CRANE | 25 Mar 2022 | Action Updates | Photos | Port Botany

Today, Max, 26, ran into Patrick Terminal at Port Botany and scaled 60 metres up a crane to suspend himself above the freight terminal. The unloading of a freight ship was delayed by more than 5 hours due to this disruption.

“The climate crisis is not only being ignored but being actively blocked by the system we call Australia.”

Max

Max has shown that one person taking action can halt a massive amount of infrastructure, slowing down the death machine of Australia’s economy. Australia’s active role in climate collapse warrants direct responses like this.

Grandmother Shuts Down Network by Climbing on Cargo Train | | Action Updates | Port Botany

Grandmother, Sharon, has climbed onto a cargo train, shutting down Australia’s largest container freight operation once again. Next to her is a banner that reads “Net Zero by 2050 is a Death Sentence”.

“This is the place where the systemic corruption started and from which a perverse attitude of domination spread.”

Sharon

The action necessary to abate this crisis will never come from a system set up to exploit people and land. Resistance to this system has been led by first peoples for 250 years and this site is significant for a people who have never ceded their sovereignty.

“The system is designed to drown out dissent. Taking action to where power sits is our best chance for the structural change needed for survival.”

Bipod on rail bridge halts all trains | | Action Updates | Photos | Port Botany

This morning, Emma (25) suspended herself from a bipod structure attached to ropes blocking all freight trains moving in and out of the Port of Botany. Emma locked herself to the structure, causing several hours of disruption.

This is the fourth consecutive day Blockade Australia activists have shut down Australia’s largest container port, to resist Australia’s insatiable appetite for destruction.

“The powers have prioritised the economic wealth and political power of an elite few. They have used policies of extractivism and destruction to exploit everything from this land and people. Those goods are moved around through roads, ports and rails. That’s why I’m attached to this bipod”

Emma

Emma’s action is part of a sustained period of direct action against Australia’s economic operations. Blockade Australia uses this strategy to push back against the forces driving us to ecological and social collapse.

“The system we currently know and its endless economic expansion is incompatible with life. Solutions will never come from within the system, we need to build collective power to confront and obstruct Australia”

Emma
Climate activist given 4 month prison sentence for Port Botany blockade | 24 Mar 2022 | Action Updates | Media Releases | Port Botany

Max Curmi, 26 – the man who scaled a 60m crane on Friday as part of the Port of Botany protests organised by Blockade Australia – has today been sentenced to 4-months in prison by a magistrate at Waverley local court. Max climbed a crane, shutting down one of the terminals in Port Botany and prevented the loading of the ship he was suspended above. The 4-month prison sentence will be appealed immediately.

During his action, Max said; “If you’re serious about climate action you have to get serious about the organised disruption of Australia.”

“The system was rigged from the beginning to make sure that the people who wanted to extract resources could make as much money as they possibly could.”

“The climate crisis is not only being ignored but being actively blocked by the system we call Australia.”

This comes after 5 consecutive days of major disruption to the largest container freight port on the continent. The protests saw 9 people arrested for 9 different actions that caused huge delays to one of the continent’s major supply chains. Blockade Australia is causing disruption to major political and economic bottlenecks in the Australian system due to that system’s leading role in causing the climate crisis.

The police formed a strike force in response to the protests, deported two German nationals, gave restrictive bail conditions and ultimately sentenced Max to 4-months in prison.

Jarrah Kershaw, Blockade Australia spokesperson says; “The scale of repression used by the state is not a shock, the legal system is just another tool that the Australian system uses to maintain the status quo. That status quo being the destruction of eco and social systems in order to benefit the elite who have been making money off of this destruction for decades.”

“Australia has a long history of being a police state, Blockade Australia acknowledges and abhors the long genocidal campaign Australia has waged on the First People of this continent. This genocidal campaign has used the legal system countless times to oppress people and maintain the status quo.”
“Heavy-handed police repression will not prevent Blockade Australia from continuing to mobilise to cause major disruption to a system that is bent on exploitation, extraction and the devastation of everything we know and love. This will serve only to inspire more people to take action to resist the climate inaction of Australia.”

“Blockade Australia will be back, bigger than ever, to blockade the economic heart of Australia, Sydney, on June 27th – for a week of disruptive protest and direct action.”