Hundreds of climate activists in canoes and kayaks descended on Newcastle harbour today protesting fossil fuels. The climate protest, that'll run over the weekend, has been largely peaceful, with no arrests made. It comes after an activist group successfully challenged the state government in the Supreme Court.
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00:00It's the on-water movement the state government tried to keep on land.
00:09But a last-minute intervention from the Supreme Court stopped attempts to enforce an exclusion
00:15zone on Newcastle Harbour.
00:17The notice was ruled invalid.
00:22That's allowed for these climate activists to enter waters around the world's largest
00:26coal port.
00:29But the Premier's warned they must still follow instructions from police.
00:33We're disappointed by that judgement but there's not much I can do about it at this late hour
00:37other than to say please be safe.
00:40Look at us, we're kind of peaceful beach-goers just asking for a habitable planet, that's
00:45what our demand is.
00:48A separate Supreme Court ruling means police still have powers to arrest protesters who
00:56obstruct a vessel.
00:57It is dangerous to get close to that ship.
01:01To ensure your safety you must comply with this direction.
01:04This bulk carrier was given a sharp send-off as it left port but passed through unhindered
01:10with a buffer zone directly around the shipping channel thwarting any major blockades.
01:16This gathering has come in for heavy criticism from the police minister.
01:21In a statement to the ABC, Yasmin Catley says NSW police consider it dangerous.
01:27She's urging protesters not to put themselves or emergency services workers at risk.
01:34Activists in Newcastle say they're not put off by the heavy police presence.
01:39Getting all these cops out on boats, cops on horses, it's just completely disproportionate.
01:45They're doing their job but our job is to try and stop the coal.
01:49The protest is scheduled to continue until Sunday evening.