Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
New South Wales police have mustered a force of 160 officers to manage protestors at this week's Climate Camp in Newcastle. Riot Squad, water police, mounted police and police dogs will be at the ready, preempting conflict that organisers have been carefully planning to avoid.
The camp comes in the wake of the release of the Garnaut Draft Report on Climate Change and the proposed introduction in 2010 of a Carbon Emissions Trading scheme which has met political and industry opposition.
Hundreds of concerned citizens, students and activist organisations are expected to participate in this week's camp. While the police and coal industry have tended to concentrate on planned actions including a train blockade and ‘Day of decentralized direct action’, organisers have been working for the past year to make a peaceful, sustainable mass action opposing Australia's coal industry and its contribution to climate change.
The week-long event will include Non-Violent Direct Action workshops, educational forums around alternative energy and low-carbon lifestyles, just transitions to a low carbon economy, the plight of climate refugees in the majority world, practical skills and street theatre, even growing organic food in a year-long project to make the event sustainable by reducing food miles.
But local coal producers are not happy and trying to manufacture a story of possible dangerous conflict to scare off protesters. Port Waratah Coal Services. PWCS general manager Graham Davidson was reported in the Newcastle Herald on July 9 that he has written to Camp organisers suggesting that if protestors enter their facilities they risk death, implying that they will not cease operations if a safety issue arises. Earlier this week 27 Greenpeace activists were arrested after a mass lock on at Eraring power station, south of Newcastle.
Friends of the Earth Australia spokesperson, Emma Brindal, who is taking part in the protest says, “From the outset climate camp organisers have indicated that the actions they will take part in will be peaceful and will ensure the safety of both coal workers and participants in the actions. It is an extreme overreaction of the police to deploy the riot squad, water police, dog squad and mounted police. The real criminals in this scenario are the coal companies and the NSW government who are enabling the coal companies to continue fuelling climate change through coal exports.”
This week US President George Bush joined G8 members in Kyoto to sign on to a non-binding commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 2050. The G8 has agreed to reduce emissions by 50% by 2050. The Climate Action Network of Australia has recommended 40%, while Friends of the Earth Australia says nothing less than 50% will be required to avert serious climate change. However, FoEA are saying that all of Australia's emissions should be domestic, not through buying carbon credits from the majority world.
Join the peaceful community protest
When: 10am Sunday 13th July.
Where: Begin at Islington Park, march to Carrington coal terminal.
What: On 13th July, hundreds of people from across the country will take part in Australia’s biggest single direct action protest against coal and climate change. Please join us to be part of this historic movement.
http://www.climatecamp.org.au/program
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
I really don't think that Graham Davidson's statement implies what you say. I think that quite the opposite would happen. While environmental activists accuse politicians and coal mining companies of putting their own spin on their activities (and I'm sure they do), I think the conclusion you have drawn here is a case of activists putting their spin on things to paint a picture of coal mining companies being evil.
What Mr Davidson is erally saying is that if someone was to enter the PWCS site or walk onto rail lines unannounced (and it will have to be unannounced otherwise such illegal activity will be stopped), he can't guarantee that PWCS of other authorities will be aware of such a presence until it is too late. For example, a train carrying over 8,000 tonnes of coal doesn't pull up like a car does.
The very fact that you mention "safety issues" means that you are well aware of the risks of such activity. I'm not sure how you are going to ensure thae safety of participants when standing in the path of a coal train that may or may not stop in time. I note that the climate camp itinerary includes activities for children. I certainly hope you are not going to be so irresponsible as to include any children in this activity. Such a stupid act sets a bad enough example fro children as it is.
With respect to the police presence, what did you honestly expect was going to happen. The Climate Camp website clearly states that people plan to walk onto the rail lines. This is illegal and you know it. You draw attention to yourself and then complain that law enforcement authorities are going to be out in force. You have brought this upon yourselves. They are not going to stand idly by knowing that you plan to take part in illegal activity.
For example, if someone told me that they knew where I parked my car each day and that tomorrow they plan on stealing it, it would be pretty stupid of me to park in the same spot the next day and not keep an eye on it. The same applies to your situation. Authorties know that you are planning something illegal and so are planning to stop it.
I have nothing against your right to protest if that's what you choose to spend your time doing, but I can't stand when activists deliberately draw attention to themselves and then complain about all the attention they are getting.
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
"I note that the climate camp itinerary includes activities for
children. I certainly hope you are not going to be so irresponsible as
to include any children in this activity. Such a stupid act sets a bad
enough example fro children as it is."
Firstly i dont believe the activists plan to be hit by a train, nor put themselves in a situation where this is likely and unavoidable. Entering train tracks has risks - but Not getting hit by a train is very easy given that a train is only really capable of traveling on a thin track, it cannot (unless there are very perculiar circumstances) swerve into a group of demonstrators.
Also i dont believe the coal train will continue into a group of activists, especially as there has been ample warning of an action. And i also dont suppose any activists plan on killing their children - if you actually needed that addressed.
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
The coal trains were already astopped by the police walking on the tracks, the police were overwhelmed by the number of well behaved protesters. Even though they had every available unit, to what seemed overkill, but All the police could do was to race the fenceline with there horses to prevent the grouping of people.
As for the comment about taking children, there were many kids who particpated in the march and 5 minute vigil, put once the call was made the kids moved to higher vantage spots to watch. Kids have a right to see people stand up for what they believe in.
THis demonstration was not your average bunch of rabid greenies but a wide cross section of the community that support immediate action on the True threat of climate change and the impact it is and will have on the world we inhabit.
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
From watching the news last night, it looked very much like the average bunch of rabid greenies to me.
I later watched 60 Minutes and there was a story about an architect who has designed houses made from recycled materials which are self sufficient. The first houses he designed are in New Mexico where they receive only 8 inches of rain per year. He now has these houses in diiferent parts of the world and the design differs depending the climate where they are situated.
That is the type of action I can appreciate when it comes to environmental issues - not a bunch of extremists making a nuisance of themselves and taking up valuable police time.
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
You watch sixty minutes and respect it. I think thats an issue in itself.
Without activism these issues are going to be pushed to the side and ignored by the corporations, government etc. It's already happening - change by 2050? Thats 40 years too late!!! It's up to the people to actually get out there and make sure these people in power LISTEN to us. Australians are so damn lazy 'oh, someone else will take care of it...' seems to be the general attitude.
And while i'm all for the eco-house, if you're aware of the point of this protest - burning coal is THE MAJOR source of pollution, if we could change to green energy, green cars etc, we probably wouldn't even need eco-houses!!!!
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
It is of little relevance who presented the story. What matters is the fact that it showed someone taking real action. So get over your moral issues with who presented the story and look at the facts.
What I saw of the protest on Sunday and also the few that foolishly entered the coal loading site at Kooragang yesterday doesn't rate as real action in my book. Just a bunch of people being a pain in the arse.
Real action is actually doing something - not complaining.
And I would hardly call Australians lazy. Most of us actually work for a living and most of us have a pretty good work ethic. Just because most don't seem to get behind your cause, doesn't give you the right to call them lazy. Maybe they don't support the cause. Or maybe they don't like the way you go about yor cause - which is the point I'm trying make to you. People simply don't see protests as real action. And insulting people by calling them lazy isn't exactly the best way to convince them to get behind you.
As far as the eco-house goes, the examples shown generated their own power through solar and wind. I thought these were classed as green energy. So your last point seems a little confusing. Maybe you should have actually watched the story instead of taking a pathetic stand against the presenters so that you could make an informed comment. But hang on...you couldn't have watched it. Because that would mean using electricity generated from fossil fuels. Of course, I'm assuming that you are taking REAL ACTION.
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
I really don't understand why being a protester means you're labelled with being unemployed or not having a real job. I work just like everyone else and I study so I can get into a position to make changes happen closer to the top, because the people up there obviously aren't. It takes action every step of the way from protesting to being in power to make the changes and if no one does anything, obviously nothing happens. I do say Australians are lazy because.. look at issues like the Privitization, there was another rally for that and about 200 people turn up - when 90% of the state CLAIM to be against it. If you're against something don't just mumble to yourself and complain - then it's going to happen anyway. If thousands of people turn up to such rallys the points going to get across. That IS real action.
I didn't watch the story, but that points hardly relevant at all.. I was simply stating the main change needs to happen at the source, not everyones house, everyones car, etc.
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
Here's a tip
90% of the population don't support it. Somebody polled a small sample group, of which, 90% claimed to be against it. There's a big difference there.
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
Could you please give me a more accurate description of valuable police time?
Do you mean raising revenue or hostility towards people who don't quite fit the status quo?
Have hippies ever beaten anyone to death in custody?
Have police ever voiced the natural right to free speech and a right to decide how your life will be governed?
What does it mean to have rabbies?
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
"From watching the news last night, it looked very much like the average bunch of rabid greenies to me."
Too true - believe it or not there's just the one bunch of rabid greenies running all over the country getting in the way of news cameras. Otherwise there'd be nothing on the telly but the footy results. And we wouldn't want that now would we? No sir. Uh uh.
It's not really rabies though - the stuff foaming from their mouths was too much chai. And yes - you CAN have too much chai. Way too much ... But just try telling extremists that. Do they listen? Of course not!
We feel your pain. Yes we do. We promise we'll all chip in and build you're next house out of all the soymilk carton's we've been saving!
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
http://www.climatecamp.org.au/kid-rally
Yeah there they are, the typical "rabid greenie" being wheeled around by mum in a stroller, just waiting to leap out and attack the police with warm milk and tie themselves to the coal trains with blankets!
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
Some may think this may have nothing to do with this issue, but I feel compelled to tell you all that Carlton has just bent Western Bulldogs over a trestle and slipped them a turgid organ up the how's your father. Down by nearly five goals in the third quarter, the BLUES HAVE COME FROM NOWHERE TO CLINCH THE PONTS and keep their season alive.
I know how much this resonates with the dreadlocked, bong smokingand toe touching dullards in Sydney. Get a life, friends. Some coal protest will dissipate into the ether but a Carlton victory lives on in the hearts of men.
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
I believe in climate change and global warming, i just dont believe that human Co2 is causing it.
I have come across a documentry that actually proves that the more Co2 or carbon is in the air, the better our plants like certain fruits and vegies grow, so much so they can grow twice the size, we have greenhouses that have 6 times the amount of Co2 in them and it does not affect human health.
Its not the fact that Global warming is not true, its what you are not being told about it.. the global warming science is an inffirior science. there is no proof that global warming exists, infact most of the data is flawd and the hocky stick that the UN use
Watch this clip, this is the things greenpeace and others are NOT telling you about climate change and global warming and Co2.
<a href="http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?docid=3069943905833454241&hl=en">Global Warming or Global Governance</a>
http://video.google.com.au/videoplay?docid=3069943905833454241&hl=en
<embed id="VideoPlayback" style="width:400px;height:326px" allowFullScreen="true" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=3069943905833454241&hl=en&fs=true" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"> </embed>
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
Besides where are Ross Garnauts qualifications in climatology? His is nothing more then an economist hired or appointed by a fictionous government to find out the impact of climate change only, not to examine climate change itself or to say it is real or not or whether or not to support it.
Ross Garnaut also admits that any emissions tax will have a big impact within the community and yet still supports the scheme even when there is “STILL NO PROOF of Climate change or global warming” why is the government telling and teaching our kids lies???
Ross Garnaut (born July 28, 1946[1]) AO BA (ANU), PhD (ANU) is a professor of economics at the Australian National University.[2] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ross_Garnaut
Re: Police Overreaction at Newcastle Coal Protest
Ah yes the wonders of the internet, There is more climate change skeptic guff out there than porn. What is your gut telling you my friends?
I visited the climate camp with my son on the saturday morning, hate to dissapoint you but this was not a gathering of fezza's and hippies at all. These were people that I would identify with as a professional scientist, They were professional lawyers and medicos, they were impressively organised and there was a feeling of steeley determination about the place. These are the people who saved the Franklin not the Nimbin mardi grass.
The most embarrasing thing is that you believe what you are seeing on 60 minutes.
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