Australia: 11 Arrested in Coal Port Protest Halting Shipments

By Staff, Agencies

Australian police have arrested and charged 11 climate protesters during a large-scale blockade of Newcastle harbor, as thousands of activists targeted the world’s largest coal export terminal in a weekend action organized by Rising Tide.

The New South Wales government imposed a marine exclusion zone in the harbor until Monday morning, warning of enforcement for violations. By Saturday afternoon, police confirmed 11 arrests as officers maintained a strong presence in the area.”

Climate demonstrators gathered on Saturday morning, many entering the harbor in kayaks and small watercraft, including Australian Greens leader Larissa Waters. Hundreds paddled into the shipping channel to disrupt coal movements, forcing at least one vessel, the Cemtex Leader, to turn away.

Rising Tide reported 19 arrests—some later released—after swimmers, kayakers, and a small boat of protesters, including Knitting Nannas activist group, entered the Stockton channel, though police have not confirmed the figures.

Offences linked to breaching the marine exclusion zone carry fines of up to $1,100. Others have reportedly been charged under NSW anti-protest laws, which can result in penalties of up to two years’ imprisonment.

One of the arrested activists, Newcastle parent Jonathon Dykyj, said the personal consequences of being detained were minimal compared with the impact of climate inaction.

“The personal consequences to me of getting arrested today pale into insignificance compared to the consequences that runaway climate change will have on our community,” he said.

In a video posted online, Waters praised the demonstrators, describing them as “thousands of good-hearted people fighting for a safe climate.”

A landmark September assessment warns Australia faces rising seas and extreme heat threatening millions, as the government prepares to announce new emissions-reduction targets under the Paris accord.

The report warns that global warming will trigger ‘cascading, compounding, concurrent’ threats nationwide. Climate Minister Chris Bowen said the crisis is already unfolding, calling climate change ‘a live reality’ with unavoidable impacts.

By 2050, around 1.5 million people in coastal regions are expected to face direct risk from sea level rise and flooding. That figure could double to three million by the end of the century.

Amanda McKenzie, chief executive of the Climate Council, called the findings “terrifying". She urged urgent action, saying, “We can choose a better future by cutting climate pollution harder and faster now. The first step is legislating the strongest possible 2035 climate target and stopping new polluting projects.”

Australia’s long-running “climate wars” continue as the Labor government boosts renewables and vows deeper emissions cuts while still approving major fossil fuel projects, including the North West Shelf gas operation, recently granted a 40-year extension despite strong Indigenous and environmental opposition.