#NSW parliament passes new laws bringing harsher penalties on #protesters

By Heath Parkes-Hupton
Posted Fri 1 Apr 2022

"The NSW Parliament has passed tough new punishments for protesters the state government says wish to wreak 'economic chaos' on #SydneyAustralia.

"Under legislation that cleared both houses today, people could be fined up to $22,000 and/or jailed for a maximum of two years for #protesting illegally on #PublicRoads, #rail lines, #tunnels, #bridges and #industrial #estates.

"The new offence applies to #ports in #Newcastle, #PortKembla and #PortBotany, but the government says it intends to add more facilities.

"Attorney-General Mark Speakman said the laws applied to activities that 'shut down major economic activity'.

"It comes after a string of demonstrations by #ClimateActivists last month disrupted operations around Sydney's Port Botany, the largest container hub in NSW.

"Members of #BlockadeAustralia staged protests on bridges, roads, freight rail lines and a crane to call for greater action on #ClimateChange.

"This morning, four people were arrested after blocking peak-hour traffic on the Princes Highway in Sylvania.

"#FireproofAustralia has claimed responsibility for that incident, which saw traffic blocked by people holding banners across the road."

Read more:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-04-01/nsw-new-protest-laws-target-major-economic-disruption/100960746

#Australia #Fascism #ClimateAction #ClimateActivism #CriminalizingDissent

NSW parliament passes new laws bringing harsher penalties on protesters

NSW's Attorney-General says the laws will target "anarchist protesters", but The Greens say they undermine the right to peaceful protest. 

ABC News

#DeannaCoco's 15 month #sentence is "#outrageous" and "#alarming"

#Reactions have been swift and severe after #environmental #protester Deanna Coco was sentenced to 15 months #prison last week for her #actions on the #Sydney Harbour #Bridge in April, when she #blocked a #lane of #traffic with a hired truck as part of the #FireproofAustralia #movement.

https://womensagenda.com.au/climate/climate-activist-deanna-cocos-15-month-sentence-is-outrageous-and-alarming/

Climate activist Deanna Coco's 15 month sentence is "outrageous" and "alarming"

Reactions have been severe after climate protester Deanna Coco was sentence to 15 months prison last week for her protest in April

Women's Agenda

Clément Voule, UN special rapporteur on freedom of association and peaceful assembly, said "I am alarmed at a NSW court’s prison term against climate protestor Deanna [Violet] Coco and refusal to grant bail until a March 2023 appeal hearing. Peaceful protesters should never be criminalised or imprisoned."

#VioletCoco #FireproofAustralia #ClimateProtest #ClimateChange #Sydney

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/dec/03/un-official-alarmed-by-jailing-of-climate-activist-who-blocked-traffic-on-sydney-harbour-bridge

UN official ‘alarmed’ by jailing of climate activist who blocked traffic on Sydney Harbour Bridge

Human rights groups around the world express outrage over ‘disproportionate’ punishment of Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco

The Guardian

Violet Coco will be held without bail until an appeal in March or longer, for defending her own and the planet's future.

Human rights and civil liberties advocates criticised the "vindictive legal action" and recent NSW anti-protest laws that allowed it.

#VioletCoco #FireproofAustralia #ClimateProtest #ClimateChange #Sydney

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/02/climate-activist-who-blocked-traffic-on-sydney-harbour-bridge-jailed-for-at-least-eight-months

Climate activist who blocked traffic on Sydney Harbour Bridge jailed for at least eight months

Lawyers for Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco, who stopped traffic for 25 minutes in April, say it is ‘outrageous’ their client was refused bail before an appeal next year

The Guardian

RT @[email protected]

It isn’t just floods, fire and smoke we must plan for. Shortages of food & clean water, disease, climate refugees and heatwaves are increasing as well! #ffs #FireproofAustralia #ActNow #IPCCReport https://twitter.com/sustainabletall/status/1523209958522638337

Philip Oldfield on Twitter

““Councils in western Sydney are planning to set up heat refuges for residents forced out of their homes by extreme heat, as part of a plan to prepare for dangerously hot summers” https://t.co/uRkBuG9DVX”

Twitter