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Alan Stuart is a 97-year-old Uniting Church reverend in Newcastle, Australia, who, although is still active in teaching and preaching, believes deeply in fighting for change (no pun intended) in the climate change issue. “I think I must stand up for what is right…I am doing this for my grandchildren and future generations,” he says.
He was one of 109 climate protesters arrested at a coal port in New South Wales, Australia.
Over the weekend, more than 200 climate protesters used kayaks to occupy one of the world’s largest coal ports in Newcastle in an attempt to stop coal from leaving the country. “They claim the disruption [blockade] prevented half a million tonnes of coal from leaving the country,” according to BBC News.
The blockade lasted for 30 hours before police, who allegedly approved of the blockade originally, arrested civilians, five of whom were minors later who had been released. The arrests were the result of the “protest-cut-off point,” which had been 30 hours.
Rising Tide, a grassroots climate change group that had organized the protest, called it the “biggest act of civil disobedience for the climate in Australia’s history.” The organization wants Anthony Albaneze, the prime minister of Australia, government to tax thermal coal workers as well as cancel new fossil fuel exports.
Prime Minister Albaneze’s efforts to keep his promise to “join the global effort” against climate change had been to reduce emissions, written in law, by 43% by 2030, an equivalent to erasing Australia’s “entire transport or agriculture sectors” (BBC).
However, the prime minister refuses to outlaw new fossil fuels projects completely and since last May has signed off for four new coal mines with “25 more projects” waiting for his approval (BBC).
According to ROA, Rising Tide spokesperson Zach Schofield reports that “no coal shipments had entered or exited the port since 10 a.m. Saturday.”
