Millions raise voice for JAILED climate activists and anti-protest laws

Over 230 organisations – listed below – representing millions of members across the country have united to condemn the recent 15 month jail sentence for climate activist Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco and to express concern about increasing repression, including the recent introduction of new anti protest laws in multiple states. (12 December)

“We are seeing fundamental democratic principles stripped before our eyes at an alarming rate. Violet is the 5th person to receive a jail sentence* in the last 12 months for peaceful climate activism, as repression mounts against community activists across the nation. She is one of thousands taking extraordinary action in the face of an urgent crisis.”  said Kelly O’Shanassy of Australian Conservation Foundation.

On 2 December, Violet, from Fireproof Australia, was sentenced to 15 months in custody with a non parole period of 8 months. Her appeal for bail will be heard on 13th December. A solidarity action will take place outside Downing Centre Court.

We reject the claim from Premier Perrottet that protest should not inconvenience people, and are concerned about the message this sends in a democracy. Peaceful but disruptive protests have won many of the rights we take for granted today, including the 8 hour day, voting rights, end to conscription, and to enjoy the forests and precious places we defended. Australia is a signatory to conventions protecting our right to freedom of movement, association, peaceful assembly, and political speech which the government must respect, and we must defend.

“The freedom to protest has been a central part of many of the most important movements across this country, from land rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, to voting rights, to achieving the eight hour work day. Governments across Australia need to recommit to our democracy, and repeal these laws that criminalise protest” said Alice Drury, Acting Legal Director, Human Rights Law Centre.

We welcome the support from the UN and international human rights organisations, including the recent statement from Clement Voule, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Association and Peaceful Assembly who expressed “I am alarmed at NSW court’s prison term against climate protester Deanna Coco and refusal to grant bail until a March 2023 appeal hearing. Peaceful protesters should never be criminalised or imprisoned.”

Violet was charged with several offences, including disrupting vehicles, failing to comply with police direction and resisting or hindering police. The charges arose from her action blocking one lane of traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge for approximately 25 minutes.

“It’s outrageous that the state wastes resources seeking jail time and locking up peaceful protestors in custody at the expense of taxpayers. In contrast, fossil fuel corporations are contributing to climate collapse, yet have bi-partisan support for further mining and their subsidies continue at a rate of $22,000 a minute.”

Lucy Manne, 350.org

Protestors from Fireproof Australia, Extinction Rebellion, Blockade Australia and Frontline Action on Coal and many more have engaged in peaceful civil disobedience in recent years in support of urgent action on climate change. Thousands have been involved, representing the voices of many more.

“The Aboriginal Legal Service was born out of a protest movement in the 1970s. You would be hard-pressed to find any win for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights that wasn’t brought about by public protest.

There is no climate justice without racial justice. The right to assemble and demonstrate in our streets, towns and cities is a fundamental cornerstone of democracy. For marginalised communities, public protests enable us to be seen and heard, even — and especially — when those in power would rather suppress our voices. We condemn in the strongest terms this government crackdown on our right to protest.”

Karly Warner, Aboriginal Legal Service NSW

The vast majority of Australians across the political spectrum support, and voted for, strong action on climate. People should not be concerned they could risk heavy penalties simply for taking to the streets. New anti-protest legislation in several states is wide open to police misinterpretation. NSW has already seen increased policing of peaceful NGO-led climate protests and police threats of invoking the laws against a wide variety of actions since their introduction in April.

“This state’s ongoing repression of protestors through parliament passing harsher laws, police seeking draconian bail conditions and surveilling protestors, and prosecutors seeking custodial sentences shows just how much contempt this government holds for protestors and the environment. The repression of peaceful protestors must end.”

Josh Pallas, NSW Council for Civil Liberties

Six jail sentences have been applied to nonviolent activists in NSW in the last year. 4 have successfully appealed. Please also note that references to explosives devices in media refer simply to a flare, also used recently by soccer fans.

ADDITIONAL QUOTES

“If these laws were in place in 1978 we would have all ended up in gaol. As it was many of us did. Under the provisions of the NSW Summary Offences Act police were able to shut down protests, to judge whether a person’s behaviour was offensive or not, and to entrap gay men with contrived homosexual advances. At the time there were over 100 convictions every year for sexual assault of a male person in NSW. Many ended with gaol terms of up to 14 years and others accepted court-directed homosexual aversion therapy. Radical social movements changed everything. They didn’t have liability insurance or permission from the state.”

First Mardi Gras Inc. – a community association for 78ers

“Repression will not cool the planet. Punitive laws will not slow the pace of environmental destruction. Incarceration will not  create a liveable planet. Collective resistance is vital and urgent.”

Blockade Australia activists Emma Dorge and Wenzel Auch also face custodial sentences arising from Port of Botany protests, at Downing Centre Court on Wednesday December 14 and Thursday December 15 respectively.

Clancy Mayer, Blockade Australia spokesperson, and also facing charges under recent anti protest laws

“It is a disgrace that in NSW a young woman is facing up to 15 months in jail for a protest that blocked traffic for 25 minutes. The right to protest is an essential part of a functioning democracy and one which trade unionists have fought hard to safeguard all around the world. The jailing of Violet Coco shows this right is under attack in NSW today. Public protest has a long and proud history in NSW and has helped shape our state for the better”

Darren Greenfield, State Secretary CFMEU C&G NSW

“Many unions will be in attendance at the protest tomorrow to support Violet. UnionsNSW condemns the imprisonment of environmental activist Violet Coco and demands her immediate release.  As a movement that was born out of protest we unanimously call for these laws to be repealed by law makers.  The most important social changes have been achieved through protest with unions at the forefront of many of them.”

Vanessa Seagrove, Assistant Secretary of UnionsNSW

“Like MLK and Gandhi, Violet Coco took a courageous, nonviolent stand for the common good. People were inconvenienced, not harmed. It’s so wrong that she is jailed for advocating for a liveable planet, while the people who legislated these excessive penalties are jeopardising our future by allowing the expansion of coal and gas mining.”

Thea Ormerod, Australian Religious Response to Climate Change

“Every single adult and child in New South Wales has a fundamental human right to peaceful assembly. Australia is bound by international law to uphold this right which extends to all gatherings for peaceful purposes, regardless of the degree of public support. Importantly, the right to peaceful assembly can only be legally limited in ways that are strictly necessary and proportionate. These measures were rammed through the NSW Parliament without any adequate scrutiny or consultation. We now see Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco, refused Bail in circumstances where it would normally be granted and sentenced to 456 days in prison for stopping traffic for 25 minutes. It is impossible for the NSW Government or the Opposition to establish that these measures meet these necessity and proportionality thresholds established under international human right law.”

Kerry Weste, President, Australian Lawyers for Human Rights

“In the early 1980s the Wilderness Society originated out of one of the most massive acts of civil disobedience in Australia’s history, the campaign to save the Franklin River. Peaceful, non-violent protest is an essential part of a functioning democracy. Without it, today the Franklin River would be dammed, and other natural wonders like Kakadu, K-gari / Fraser Island, Walmadany / James Price Point, and old growth forests the breadth of this continent would be destroyed. If the Franklin protest happened today, conservationists would be jailed for months to years, not days to weeks—yet, the threats facing nature and people are even more urgent.”

Amelia Young, National Campaigns Director, Wilderness Society

“The right to protest is a human right. No-one should be imprisoned for exercising this right, and Violet’s sentencing represents a concerning escalation in NSW’s crackdown on people’s right to protest, and to address human rights abuses including climate inaction.”

Nikita White, Amnesty International Australia – AMNESTY MEDIA RELEASE HERE

SEE BELOW FOR THIS RECORD BREAKING LIST OF SIGNATORIES – NOT ONLY IS 230+ BRILLIANT FOR A FEW DAYS TURNAROUND BUT THE VARIETY AND DIVERSITY IS ASTOUNDING – MILLIONS FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE CHERISH OUR DEMOCRACY AND THE ROLE OF PROTEST – WE ARE SO GRATEFUL. You can still submit your organisation here to be contacted for future activation and please sign and share this email action

We have been trying for over a decade to raise the profile of increasing attacks on activists, and monitoring repression – surveillance, police violence and harassment, increasing penalties for activists, anti protest laws and we really need to see the broader sector step up for funding and organisational support for this work. You can check a brief overview of some work here.

We have continued to work with the #ProtectProtest collaboration, and hope it can develop into something bigger in 2023. We also welcome the statement from CFMMEU leader, Christy Cain released Thurs 15th – “The CFMMEU will not sit by while any government in this country seeks to remove one of the cornerstones of our democracy. If these laws are allowed to stand no worker, no citizen, no member of the community will be safe from the threat of government overreach.”