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DAILY NEWS…. For four days last week #BlockadeAustralia successfully created major traffic disruptions at Sydney’s Port Botany to draw attention to the climate crisis and the NSW Police response has been to form a Strike Force and call the protesters anarchists.
By Jackie Pearson
Acting Premier and Minister for Police Paul Toole announced the NSW Police Force has launched a proactive strike force to prevent, investigate and disrupt unauthorised protests across the state in response to climate protests at Port Botany.
According to the NSW Police Force media release about the new strike force, it was a response to “four unauthorised protests … designed to disrupt commercial activity in the Port Botany area, which have caused significant economic damage”.
Five people – three men and two women were arrested and charged with a range of offences.
“NSW Police have launched Strike Force Guard to proactively investigate and target those involved in the planning and facilitation of this type of protest activity, in addition to current operations,” Mr Toole said.
“I have been clear from the start; we will not stand for this kind of blatant disregard for the law and its impact on the livelihoods of all workers and business owners impacted by these foolish acts.
“Strike Force Guard will ensure Police are always one step ahead of the protesters to make sure we crack down on this economic vandalism.”
Strike Force Guard will include general duties officers and detectives from Central Metropolitan Region, analysts from State Intelligence Command, operatives from Operations Support Group and the Public Order and Riot Squad, and specialist officers from Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, PolAir, Marine Area Command and Police Rescue.
In addition to monitoring and responding to unauthorised protest activity, Strike Force Guard officers will also conduct intelligence-driven taskings, including highly visible patrols around significant infrastructure across Sydney.
The formation of a strike force appears to put the members of Blockade Australia in the same category as COVID funding fraudsters or even outlaw motorcycle gangs.
The protesters, including those who’ve suspended themselves from bridges to disrupt traffic and climbed atop loaded coal trains argue that the “disruption” already being caused by the climate crisis has far more significant implications than a few hours of disrupted traffic.
On Thursday March 25, Federal Immigration Minister Alex Hawk waded in to the argument by proclaiming he would use the same powers employed to cancel Novak Djokovic’s visa during the Australian Open to deport two German students who had participated in the Port Botany climate protests.
Brothers Henrik and Jelle Bonde displayed the banner with the slogan “No nations, no borders, stop Australia’s operation”.
The NSW Government is also talking about extending a $22,000 fine for hanging signs and disrupting traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge to other NSW roadways and bridges.
The extent that climate protesters are now prepared to go to gain public and media attention is clearly an indication of their frustration and growing desperation at the inaction of government to make the changes necessary to limit climate change as much as possible at this late stage.
The IPCC and scientist around the world have been clear in their simple and immediate message – time is running out.
In that context the reactions of Paul Toole and Alex Hawk are undemocratic overkill.
The cost to rebuild after the recent NSW and Queensland floods is estimated at around $1.3 billion and rising.
The National Recovery and Resilience Agency records the cost of the Black Summer bushfires at $1.88 billion but the agriculture industry believes it lost a further $5 billion in that single “catastrophic” and “unprecedented” bushfire season.
It is just a little rich and self-serving to call the Blockade Australia activists, young and old and from all walks of life, anarchists.
Blockade Australia is at the “direct action” end of the climate movement spectrum – a bit more radical in its approach to, say, the wonderful Knitting Nannas.
Here’s what the Blockade Australia website about the reasons for the Port Botany action:
“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.”
The Apartheid regime may still be in place in South Africa without world-wide direct action to overturn its evils. Countless examples of environmental degradation and destruction would not have been stopped without the same kind of protest and activism that’s been on display at Botany last week.
When elected leaders fail to act, those in the community with a conscience must – or nothing will change.
What can you do?
· Check out the Blockade Australia website and social media pages and make up your own mind about what they stand for.
· Learn more about the climate crisis
· Get involved in a climate action group in your own community – have a dig around google and facebook to find what’s available.
· Find out how your local elected representatives – at local council, state and federal level vote and behave around the issue of climate change and the climate crisis.
· Use your own social media platforms to post about your own feelings on the climate crisis
· Help activist groups. If you don’t want to hang from a bridge or ride a coal train, make a donation or share something in support of their actions
