More than 200 organisations, including, CIVICUS, UnionsNSW, Australian Conservation Foundation and Oxfam, as well as prominent individuals representing millions of people across the country have united to condemn the recent 15-month jail sentence for climate activist Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco in NSW and to express concern about increasing repression, including the recent introduction of new anti protest laws in multiple states.
Australian Conservation Foundation CEO Kelly O’Shanassy said:
“We are seeing fundamental democratic principles stripped before our eyes at an alarming rate. Violet is the fifth person to receive a jail sentence in the last 12 months for peaceful climate activism, as repression mounts against community activists across the nation. She is one of thousands taking extraordinary action in the face of an urgent crisis.”
On 2 December, Coco, from Fireproof Australia, was sentenced to 15 months in custody with a non parole period of 8 months. Her appeal for bail will be heard on 13th December.
Protestors from Fireproof Australia, Extinction Rebellion, Blockade Australia and Frontline Action on Coal and many more have engaged in peaceful civil disobedience in recent years in support of urgent action on climate change. Thousands have been involved, representing the voices of many more.
A solidarity action will take place outside Sydney’s Downing Centre Court on Tuesday morning at 9am.
Clancey Maher from Blockade Australia who is also charged under the NSW anti-protest laws said:
“Repression will not cool the planet. Punitive laws will not slow the pace of environmental destruction. Incarceration will not create a liveable planet. Collective resistance is vital and urgent.”
Blockade Australia activists Emma Dorge and Wenzel Auch also face custodial sentences arising from Port of Botany protests, at Downing Centre Court on Wednesday December 14 and Thursday December 15 respectively.
Amnesty International Australia campaigner Nikita White said:
“The right to protest is a human right. No-one should be imprisoned for exercising this right, and Violet’s sentencing represents a concerning escalation in NSW’s crackdown on people’s right to protest, and that of others to address human rights abuses including climate inaction.”
Karly Warner of Aboriginal Legal Service NSW said:
“The Aboriginal Legal Service was born out of a protest movement in the 1970s. You would be hard-pressed to find any win for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights that wasn’t brought about by public protest.
“There is no climate justice without racial justice. The right to assemble and demonstrate in our streets, towns and cities is a fundamental cornerstone of democracy. For marginalised communities, public protests enable us to be seen and heard, even – and especially – when those in power would rather suppress our voices.
“We condemn in the strongest terms this government crackdown on our right to protest.”
United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Association and Peaceful Assembly Clement Voule recently raised concerns about the sentencing saying: “I am alarmed at NSW court's prison term against climate protester Deanna Coco and refusal to grant bail until a March 2023 appeal hearing. Peaceful protesters should never be criminalised or imprisoned”.
Coco was charged with several offences, including disrupting vehicles, failing to comply with police direction and resisting or hindering police. The charges arose from her action blocking one lane of traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for approximately 25 minutes.
Vanessa Seagrove, Assistant Secretary of UnionsNSW said:
“Many unions will be in attendance at the protest tomorrow to support Violet. UnionsNSW condemns the imprisonment of environmental activist Violet Coco and demands her immediate release. As a movement that was born out of protest we unanimously call for these laws to be repealed by law makers. The most important social changes have been achieved through protest with unions at the forefront of many of them.”
350.org’s Lucy Manne said:
“It's outrageous that the state wastes resources seeking jail time and locking up peaceful protestors in custody at the expense of taxpayers. In contrast, fossil fuel corporations are contributing to climate collapse, yet have bi-partisan support for further mining and their subsidies continue at a rate of $22,000 a minute.”
The vast majority of Australians across the political spectrum support, and voted for, strong action on climate. People should not be concerned they could risk heavy penalties simply for taking to the streets. New anti-protest legislation in several states is wide open to police misinterpretation. NSW has already seen increased policing of peaceful NGO-led climate protests and police threats of invoking the laws against a wide variety of actions since their introduction in April.
Josh Pallas, NSW Council for Civil Liberties said:
“This state’s ongoing repression of protestors through parliament passing harsher laws, police seeking draconian bail conditions and surveilling protestors, and prosecutors seeking custodial sentences shows just how much contempt this government holds for protestors and the environment. The repression of peaceful protestors must end.”
PHOTOGRAPHY AND INTERVIEW OPPORTUNITIES
WHERE: Downing Street Court, 143-147 Liverpool Street Sydney
WHEN: Tuesday December 13 2022 09:00
SPEAKERS:
- Jay Labalestier, Stop Fossil Fuel Subsidies (formerly Fireproof)
- Vanessa Seagrove, Assistant Secretary Unions NSW
- Paul Keating, Secretary MUA Sydney Branch
- David Shoebridge, Greens Senator
- Ethan Lyons, SS4C
- Veronica Koman, Amnesty International Australia
ENDS
Signatories to the open letter
350.org Australia
Dr David Abello, on behalf of the 78ers, the First Mardi Gras Inc
Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited
ACF Community Geelong
Action Ready
ADAC - A Different Approach Community
Aid/Watch
Amnesty International Australia
Andrew Denton
Animal Liberation NSW
Antipoverty Centre
Arid Lands Environment Centre
Armidale Action on Coal Seam Gas and Mining
Arshak Makichyan
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC)
Australian Communist Party
Australian Conservation Foundation
Australian Democracy Network
Australian Forests and Climate Alliance
Australian Lawyers Alliance
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (NSW State Division)
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union
Australia
Australian Marine Conservation Society
Australian Nonviolence Projects
Australian Progress
Australian Religious Response to Climate Change
Australian Services Union NSW ACT (Services) Branch
Australian Services Union Victorian Private Sector Branch
Australian Unemployed Workers' Union
Australian Youth Climate Coalition
Author - The 99th Koala
Bayside Climate Crisis Action Group
Bellingen Activist Network
Beyond Gas Network
Beyond War
Black Flag Sydney
Black Wallaby Forest Action
Blockade Australia
Bob Brown Foundation
Dr Luke Buckmaster
Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action
Caldera Environment Centre
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law (Monash University)
Central Victoria Climate Action
Centre for Climate Safety
CFMEU Construction and General Division
Chipstop Campaign Against Woodchipping
CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation
Cristy Clark
ClimActs
CLIMARTE
Climate Action Monaro
Climate Action Network Australia
Climate Action Radio Show
Climate and Health Alliance (CAHA)
Climate Change Action Network
Climate Council of Australia
Climate for Change
Climate Justice Programme
Climate Justice Union
Commons Social Change Library
Comms Declare
Community Action for Rainbow Rights
Community Legal Centres Australia
Community Legal Centres NSW
Community Power Agency
Conservation Council ACT Region
Conservation Council of SA
Conservation Council of WA (CCWA)
CoPower (Co-operative Power Australia)
CounterAct
Darebin Climate Action Now
Defend the Right to Protest
Digital Rights Watch
Do Gooder
Drum Rebellion
East Gippsland Climate Action Network
Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education
Environment Centre NT Inc
Environment East Gippsland inc
Environment Victoria
Environmental Justice Australia
Environs Kimberley
Extinction Rebellion Australia
Extinction Rebellion Cairns
Fireproof Australia
First Dog on the Moon
FlightFree Australia
Flinders University
Frenzal Rhomb
Friends of Bats and Habitat Gippsland
Friends of the Earth Australia
Friends of the Earth Melbourne
Friends of the Forest - Mogo
Frontline Action on Coal
Galilee Rising
Geelong Sustainability
GetUp
El Gibbs, writer, disability advocate
Glen Eira Emergency Climate Action Network (GECAN)
Goongerah Environment Centre
GraceTree
Grassroots Action Network Tasmania
Grata Fund
Green Institute
Green Music Australia
Greenpeace Australia Pacific
Gudanji For Country
Heal the Earth Now ॐ (international)
Healthy Connection For All
Dr Tamar Hopkins
Human Rights Law Centre
Dr Rebecca Huntley, Author,”How to Talk About Climate Change in a Way That Makes a Difference”
Dan Ilic
Institute of Collaborative Race Research
International PEN Melbourne Centre
International Service for Human Rights
Jews Against Fascism
Ketan Joshi, Author “Windfall: Unlocking a fossil free future”
Jumbunna Research, UTS
Justice Reform Initiative
Knitting Nanas Hunter Loop
Sydney Knitting Nannas & Friends
Kooyong Climate Change Alliance
Lane Cove Sustainability Action Group
Carmen Lawrence, academic, Ex WA Premier, Head Australian Labor Party
Legal Observers NSW
Liberty Victoria
Lighter Footprints
Lincoln Ave Progressives
LIVE
Loud Jew Collective
Mackay Conservation Group
Margaret River Regional Environment Centre
Maritime Union of Australia (Sydney Branch)
Melbourne Activist Legal Support
Muslim Collective
Nannas for Native Forests
National Justice Project
National Tertiary Education Union (NSW)
Nature Conservation Council NSW
George Newhouse, Adjunct professor
Nillumbik Climate Action Team
North East Forest Alliance
North Queensland Conservation Council
NSW Council for Civil Liberties
Claire O’Rourke
Oxfam Australia
PASA (Philippines Australia Solidarity Association)
Paul Gilding
Pax Christi Australia
Peace in Papua
People’s Climate Assembly
Peter Garret
Pride In Protest
Progressive Cinema, Armidale, NSW
Proposition One Campaign for a Nuclear-Free Future
Public Interest Advocacy Centre
Public Services International (Asia Pacific Regional Office)
Queensland Conservation Council
Queensland Council for Civil Liberties
Redfern Legal Centre
Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU)
Rising Tide
Save the Bay Coalition
School Strike 4 Climate
Scientists Warning Foundation, California, US
Seed Indigenous Youth Climate Network Ltd
Socialist Alliance
South East Forest Rescue
South East Region Conservation Alliance (SERCA)
Anna Spargo-Ryan, Writer / A Kind of Magic
Spirit of Eureka SA
Dr Joan Staples
Stop Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Stop Russell Vale Mine
Sweltering Cities
Tom Tanuki
The Australia Institute Tasmania
The Future Makers
The Independent and Peaceful Australia Network
The Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) Sydney Branch
The Sunrise Project
The Sustainable Hour Podcast
The Wilderness Society
Tomorrow Movement
Transition Streets Geelong
UnionsNSW
Uni Students for Climate Justice
United Workers Union
University of Melbourne Student Union Environment Department
UNSW Centre for Crime, Law and Justice
UTS Criminal Justice Cluster
Victorian Pride Lobby
Victorian Socialists
Vote Climate
Vote Earth Now
Wage Peace
Warriors of the Aboriginal Resistance VIC
Water for Rivers
What Can I Do? Australia
White Rose Society Australia
Wollongong Against War and Nuclear weapons (WAWAN)
Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA)
Women’s Justice Network
Workers for Climate Action
World Animal Protection
WSU Network for Law and Human Rights
Yarra Climate Action Now
Yassmin Abdel-Magied
Additional quotes
Darren Greenfield State Secretary CFMEU C&G NSW
“It is a disgrace that in NSW a young woman is facing up to 15 months in jail for a protest that blocked traffic for 25 minutes. The right to protest is an essential part of a functioning democracy and one which trade unionists have fought hard to safeguard all around the world. The jailing of Violet Coco shows this right is under attack in NSW today. Public protest has a long and proud history in NSW and has helped shape our state for the better”
First Mardi Gras Inc. - a community association for 78ers
If these laws were in place in 1978 we would have all ended up in gaol. As it was many of us did. Under the provisions of the NSW Summary Offences Act police were able to shut down protests, to judge whether a person's behaviour was offensive or not, and to entrap gay men with contrived homosexual advances. At the time there were over 100 convictions every year for sexual assault of a male person in NSW. Many ended with gaol terms of up to 14 years and others accepted court-directed homosexual aversion therapy. Radical social movements changed everything. They didn't have liability insurance or permission from the state.
Thea Ormerod (Australian Religious Response to Climate Change)
"Like MLK and Gandhi, Violet Coco took a courageous, nonviolent stand for the common good. People were inconvenienced, not harmed. It's so wrong that she is jailed for advocating for a liveable planet, while the people who legislated these excessive penalties are jeopardising our future by allowing the expansion of coal and gas mining."
Kerry Weste, President, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights (ALHR)
"Every single adult and child in New South Wales has a fundamental human right to peaceful assembly. Australia is bound by international law to uphold this right which extends to all gatherings for peaceful purposes, regardless of the degree of public support. Importantly, the right to peaceful assembly can only be legally limited in ways that are strictly necessary and proportionate. These measures were rammed through the NSW Parliament without any adequate scrutiny or consultation. We now see Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco, refused Bail in circumstances where it would normally be granted and sentenced to 456 days in prison for stopping traffic for 25 minutes. It is impossible for the NSW Government or the Opposition to establish that these measures meet these necessity and proportionality thresholds established under international human right law,"
Amelia Young, National Campaigns Director, Wilderness Society
"In the early 1980s the Wilderness Society originated out of one of the most massive acts of civil disobedience in Australia's history, the campaign to save the Franklin River. Peaceful, non-violent protest is an essential part of a functioning democracy. Without it, today the Franklin River would be dammed, and other natural wonders like Kakadu, K-gari / Fraser Island, Walmadany / James Price Point, and old growth forests the breadth of this continent would be destroyed. If the Franklin protest happened today, conservationists would be jailed for months to years, not days to weeks—yet, the threats facing nature and people are even more urgent."
