170 people, including children, have been arrested at the Port of Newcastle after allegedly defying orders by New South Wales Police to vacate the shipping channel.
The anti-fossil fuel protest, organised by activism group Rising Tide, saw a large group of protesters on kayaks and small watercraft paddle out into the world’s largest coal port.
NSW Police confirmed that 170 protestors had been arrested for “refusing to comply with a direction to move away from the channel”.
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Of those arrested, 156 were adults and 14 were children.
The arrests follow three days of protests which activism group Rising Tide has called “the people’s blockade” of the world’s largest coal port.
As the police operation and protest continues, NSW Police have not ruled out further arrests.
The Port Authority have confirmed in a statement that shipping movements were temporarily paused both in and out of the Port of Newcastle, but have now resumed.
Rising Tide has declared the protest action successful.
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