In late 2024, Newcastle activists from Rising Tide staged a blockade against a coal ship at the world's largest coal port to highlight climate change issues and oppose fossil fuel projects. Despite efforts from authorities to prevent the protest, they successfully delayed the ship for over 30 hours, resulting in significant police intervention and the arrest of 170 activists. The controversial NSW anti-protest law, enacted in response to previous blockades, offers heavy penalties for such disruptions, raising concerns about civil liberties and the impact on climate activism.
Zack Schofield, a spokesperson for Rising Tide who was also arrested, said the NSW law is being 'used to target climate protesters almost exclusively.'
The law criminalizes public assemblies that disrupt major public infrastructure such as roads, tunnels, and ports, and was a response to past blockades by climate protesters.
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