Recently over 170 protesters, including 14 children, were arrested in the Rising Tide protest and blockade at the world's largest coal port in Newcastle.
These arrests have brought greater attention and critique to Australia’s increasingly restrictive protest laws, which have expanded significantly in recent years.
Some arrests were made under NSW’s new protest laws, which NSWCCL consider “draconian”.
“Where to deploy police resources is a decision for the NSW government and the police. They have chosen to use these resources against peaceful protestors in defence of the fossil fuel industry,” said NSWCCL President Timothy Roberts.
“Paddling a kayak in the Port of Newcastle is not an offence, people do it every day safely without hundreds of police officers. A decision was made to protect the safe passage of the vessels over the protection of people exercising their democratic rights to protest.”
Read the full article.