Anti coal protestor charged after allegedly ruining safety equipment

An environmentalist was formally accused of vandalising security technology in Central Queensland’s Isaac region.

An anti-coal demonstrator was recently charged with wilfully damaging a security camera near the Carmichael Coal Mine, 160km northwest of Clermont.

Police also accused the 21-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, of unlawfully releasing cattle onto public roads.

Bravus Mining and Resources released footage of the alleged incident. A man wearing a motorcycle helmet can be seen opening a gate. He then smears what appears to be cow manure over CCTV equipment, damaging it in the process on 18 April 2023.

The proponent also released video commentary from an activist complaining that cattle have more rights than him.

“This system is like … ‘Oh well you chose to live here’. I said I did not choose to live here, they chose to have their cattle in here,” he can be heard saying in the video.

“Cattle is a limitation of my rights because it is an economic benefit.”

Meanwhile up to 51 Rising Tide protestors were fined for unlawfully entering private property, obstructing a rail locomotive and shovelling coal from carriages from up to six metres above ground level at around 10am on 16 April 2023.

Most of the individuals, aged between 19 and 83, pleaded guilty and were convicted. Penalties ranged between $450 and $750 per person. Eleven matters were adjourned to July 2023.

“It is coal companies and our state and federal governments who are committing the real crime. Despite decades of dire warnings from scientists they continue to build new coal projects and drive us closer to climate collapse,” activist Jasmine Stuart said on Facebook.

Disrupt Burrup Hub campaigner Kristen Morrissey was separately placed under house arrest for allegedly releasing ethyl mercaptan gas in Woodside Energy’s head office.

The non-toxic odour, normally used to alert others of an emergency, reportedly forced 2500 employees to evacuate the building. Police bomb specialists and firefighters took several hours to declare it was safe to resume work on 1 June 2023.

Perth Magistrates Court released the 49-year-old on bail on the condition she only leaves home to attend work. The musician was charged with creating false apprehension as the existence of threats or danger.

“Faking a gas leak using harmless … serves as a potent warning of the dangers of gas from Woodside’s Burrup Hub to our culture and climate,” she said according to the Australian Associated Press.