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

Port Botany day 1 and 2 Video | 29 Mar 2022 | Port Botany | Videos

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.”

Activist suspends off monopole on rail bottleneck | | Action Updates | Photos | Port Botany

This morning, Alex Pearse (33) suspended himself off a monopole blocking all trains running to and from the Port of Botany. This is the third consecutive day Blockade Australia has shut down this continent’s largest container port.

“Australia is a rigged system doing exactly what it was designed to do: exploit people and extract resources from this continent.”
Alex

The system is not broken, it’s designed to break us. No matter what party, no matter what policies, self-preservation and the protection of the ruling class is what Australia does best. Sustained action that shuts down centres of political and economic power is our best chance of forcing the political change required. Change is necessary for survival. As Australia continues to block climate action, we will Blockade Australia.

“We are facing a climate catastrophe. I have worked in environmental science for 12 years and during that time I have seen no credible action on climate. I am taking direct action because without a halt to business as usual there will be no true change”
Alex

Immobilised trucks block major access road | 23 Mar 2022 | Action Updates | Photos | Port Botany

For the second time today, Blockade Australia has stopped trucks at Port Botany. Dom and Helen have blockaded Penrhyn road with two trucks. Dom has climbed atop one, and Helen has locked on to the steering wheel of another. This is a significant economic bottleneck; it is the only access road to Port Botany’s largest terminal. Australia’s design principle is to use everything in its path to gain private wealth and power. Port Botany is a 24/7 operation of relentless, unsustainable growth. It is a prime example of Australia’s priority to maximise exploitation of people and planet in the pursuit of global supply chains. Disrupting it at pinch points where it is most critical, like the roads leading in and out of major container ports, is effective resistance to this project of mass destruction.

Dom, a wildlife carer and preschool teacher, who through their work has experienced harsh drought firsthand said:

“My experience is just a taste of what others are and will continue to experience as this crisis continues. All appropriate action is being blocked by Australia.”
Dom

Helen is a practicing psychologist who recognises that a climate response requires a new approach to politics: “The mass collapse of ecosystems, wars over resources, and extreme weather events are the inevitable conclusion of a system built on greed and exploitation.

“Everything is at stake. Engaging in strategic action like this is our attempt to force the changes necessary for survival while we still have the chance to act”
Helen

PORT BOTANY SHUT DOWN FOR THE SECOND DAY | | Action Updates | Photos | Port Botany

This morning, activist Arno (21) is suspended from a steel bipod over the bridge on Sirius road leading into Port of Botany. This structure is tied off to the opposing side of the bridge, which is blocking and choking the flow of traffic in and out of the Port.

Arno has a banner tied to them which reads:

“No Borders, No Nations, Stop Australia’s Operation.”

There are no borders when it comes to climate collapse. This is the second day of action Blockade Australia has taken at the Port of Botany, which is a crucial part of infrastructure to the Australian project.

“Australia is built to exploit and that’s never going to change unless we get in the way. Let’s stop talking to the oppressors nicely.”

This action is taking place on the unceded land of the Bidjigal people. We pay respect to past and present Elders of this community and acknowledge the significance of our actions being in this place where the colony began. Bidjigal and other First Nations people of this continent have resisted colonisation and genocide at the hands of Australia for over 250 years.

Simultaneous shut down of Port Botany’s major roads | 22 Mar 2022 | Action Updates | Photos | Port Botany

Two climate activists stopped movement on two major roads in the Port of Botany this morning. Henry (20) was suspended from a tensegrity tower while Tom (23) was hanging from a monopole.

The 7m high tower, built from bamboo and rope sat blocking Simblist road, a major entry point to the container port. This stopped all trucks from accessing the area.

“If we don’t actively engage in dismantling this system, we are upholding it’s destruction of our climate”
Tom

Tom climbed a 9-metre monopole that had ropes stretching across all lanes of traffic with a banner reading “Less Placards – More Lock-ons.”

“Disrupting points of importance in this system like Port Botany is the climate resistance we require.”
Henry

“We live under this illusion that we can go and elect a new government that cares about the climate crisis and the people”

Blockade Australia took action today on the Country of the Bidjigal People. We acknowledge that all of our activities take place on the continent Bidjigal People call Kamata. We honour the Elders who came before and are with us now.