Barnaby Joyce vs ‘Greta on Steroids’
Human rights experts have sounded the alarm on Australia’s slide towards authoritarianism. Governments are regularly threatening peaceful protesters with severe sanctions, including imprisonment.
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce labelled the climate defenders of Blockade Australia “Greta on steroids”. As though that was a bad thing! As the blockade continued, politicians from both sides joined him in calling for harsh sanctions on those disrupting the road to climate chaos.
Emily and Claire were subsequently charged with ‘Intending to Cause Death or Injury on a Railway’ for their part in Blockade Australia’s mobilisation against the world’s biggest coal port in Newcastle. They are awaiting trial on this charge that carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
Sasha was arrested and sentenced on suspicion of being involved in the mobilisation. As a result, she received a 12 month non-association order with her partner, two criminal convictions and thousands of dollars in fines.
Police then seized her car and most of her possessions, confirming they plan to auction them off as “proceeds of crime”. This left Sasha without the car she often lived in, as well as her phone, laptop, camera and other personal possessions.
Sergio was sentenced to a year behind bars for his action – the harshest ever delivered in Australia in relation to defending our climate. He is currently on bail appealing the sentence.
The escalated intimidation and repression of climate defenders who took peaceful action highlights the deeply politicised nature of the police and courts. Human Rights lawyer Isabelle Reinecke explains in The Guardian that:
“There is an ongoing effort to restrict what is considered “legitimate” protest to that which is least effective. Prime minister Scott Morrison was quick to condemn the unjust treatment of protesters in Hong Kong, but at home, the Coalition has waged its own war on those campaigning for Indigenous rights, climate justice and animal welfare.”
“Protests are by their very nature disruptive, unwieldy things – they are, after all, often about the powerless raising their collective voices to challenge the powerful. The right to protest goes beyond the right to assemble peacefully, and incorporates strikes, boycotts, occupations, blockades and many other non-violent tactics as befits the cause in question.”
We must work together to ensure that climate protectors can continue to have their voices heard. Blockade Australia needs your support so their expert legal team can defend the dozens of citizens of all ages taking action to protect our planet.
Funds raised through this fundraiser will be used to defend against the escalation of charges and sentencing being leveled at Blockade Australia. The funds are necceccery to ensure that the kind peaceful political action that made the Newcastle blockade possible remain classed as sumary or minor offence under Australian and New South Wales law, as they have been for decades prior to this blockade.
Chip in to push back against the silencing of this continent’s climate defenders!
