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After scaling a 60-metre crane at Port Botany Sydney’s Port Botany, a climate activist gets four months
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After scaling a 60-metre crane at Port Botany Sydney’s Port Botany, a climate activist gets four months

Maxim Curmi suspended himself from a 60m crane at Port Botany (pictured) as part of protests linked to Blockade Australia

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A Climate changeAs part of week-long protests at Australia’s busiest container port, activist was sentenced to a four-month imprisonment term for climbing a 60-metre crane. 

Maxim Curmi (26 years old) streamed video of himself climbing the crane as part of organized protests by Blockade Australia in Port Botany Sydney

From the top of his stream, Mr Curmi stated that he was taking this action because Australia’s climate change denial and exploitative practices must be changed. 

“Normal people who are concerned about the climate crisis are able to do something, and we are not obliged to wait for a political party to do so. 

Maxim Curmi suspended himself from a 60m crane at Port Botany (pictured) as part of protests linked to Blockade Australia

Maxim Curmi suspended from a Port Botany crane 60m high (pictured), as part of protests against Blockade Australia 

Mr Curmi atop the crane

The view from the crane

Mr Curmi (left), appeared in court to protest the stunt by which he temporarily halted a cargo being loaded (right). 

Mr Curmi wore gloves, a ski jacket, and ran through the port, jumping over rail lines, and scaling the crane. 

Once he was perched at its top, he tied himself to the structure. This temporarily shut down one of the port cargo terminals. It also prevented a ship being loaded.

It is risky to act in this way. He said that although I am currently at risk of my life, not acting is even more dangerous.

On Monday, Mr Curmi was in Waverley Local Court and pleaded guilty to five charges. These included endangering safety of a person riding the railway and putting others at risk by climbing a structure or building. 

His court appearance came after a taskforce was created by police to prevent protesters from taking over and an increase of penalties.

Protesters who break the law could face up to two years imprisonment in NSW and a $22,000 penalty for traffic disruption. 

Mr Curmi was given a $1,500 fine and a four-month sentence in jail that ended on July 24. 

At one point in his video from atop the crane, Mr Curmi showed what appeared to be a leak from one of the cargo ships into the bay (pictured)

Mr Curmi showed a leak from a cargo ship into the bay at one point in his video filmed from atop the crane (pictured). 

He was eventually brought down in a safety cage by specialist rescue police (pictured)

Specialist rescue officers eventually brought him down in safety cages (pictured). 

Blockade Australia stated that it was a legitimate and appropriate response for Australian expansionism to disrupt the movement of resources and goods through roads, ports, and rail.  

But critics say that protests that use self-described “destructive action” do not actually make a difference in increasing support for climate change, but appeal to the already converted. 

For The Sydney Morning Herald, Rebecca Huntley, a leading social trends researcher, wrote that ‘the people the climate movement must win over are those who are turned off events such as those in Botany Bay’.

“In qualitative research that I’ve done, Extinction Rebellion is a group that comes up in conversation in a very negative manner and can be a barrier in talking about global heating and how climate action might actually help their lives.

Blockade Australia conducted a week-long series of protests at Port Botany causing multiple disruptions including blocking traffic (pictured)

Blockade Australia staged a week-long series de protests at Port Botany. This caused multiple disruptions, including blocking traffic (pictured). 

“Agree with your passion, share your ideals, but your 15 seconds fame does nothing but polarize the message and rally those who oppose it,” One person wrote a comment on the Facebook group.

“Blockade Australia” is doing climate damage. Let the ranting start.

Mr Curmi’s protest marked a fourth straight day of disruptions to the port. There were many protests, including at most two where people suspended from infrastructure.

Two German brothers are likely to be deported due to their involvement in the protests in Sydney this week which obstruct peak-hour traffic around Port Botany.

After suspending themselves from poles around and in the shipping terminal on Tuesday morning, the brothers were arrested.

Two brothers (pictured) from Germany had their visas cancelled for their involvement in the protests

Two German brothers (pictured) had their visas revoked for their participation in the protests. 

Alex Hawke, Immigration Minister, stated that their visas were cancelled due to ‘good order grounds.

He stated that he had cancelled the visas and that the Australian Border Force would be removing them from Australia as soon possible.

Blockade Australia claimed that the decision was part ‘the government’s draconian approach’ that included ‘fear tactics’ to’squash any dissent’.

The group stated that the decision would not stop it from taking further action.

Emma Dorge, 25, was released on bail for her participation in the protests. She was also ordered not to associate herself with Blockade Australia members.

She was found to have suspended herself from a bridge at Port and was charged with endangering safety on railway, remain on enclosed land that is not prescribed without lawful excuse, refusing/failing to comply with direction and encouraging the commission of crime. 

On Thursday, Alex Pearse (33), was also detained by police. He was suspended from a pole nine meters above the port’s rail line and was blocking container trains in/out.

Emma Dorge, 25, proudly filmed herself dangling over the rail line in Sydney's Port Botany on Friday morning, blocking all freight trains

Emma Dorge, 25, proudly captured herself hanging over the rail line at Sydney’s Port Botany Friday morning, blocking all freight trains 

Ms Dorge suspended herself above the rail line and water in Port Botany on the fourth day of targeted climate change stunts

Ms. Dorge suspended herself above Port Botany’s rail line and water on the fourth day in targeted climate change stunts

Paul Toole, Acting Premier, stated that the government would not tolerate the ‘disgraceful stunts’ that disrupt traffic.

He said that protesters had been gathering around the state for the last few days. “Enough is enough,” he told reporters.

“These acts are just disgraceful.”

Protestors on bridges and roads in the state are subject to penalties.

Another climate change protestor blocked a major train line by suspending himself on a pole above the tracks (pictured)

Another climate change protestor blocked the major train line by suspending on a pole over the tracks (pictured). 

NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge criticised the government’s heavy-handed approach saying it was a ‘politically-motivated crackdown on legitimate political expression’.

“Every tonne of oil, coal, and gas we burn will increase intensity and speed of climate changes – activists standing up against this should be congratulated, and not arrested.”

Attorney-General Mark Speakman however stated that he would ensure that there is an effective deterrent within our law to deal against these economic vandals.

Chris Minns, the Opposition leader, also criticized the group’s behavior as ‘disruptive.

He said that they are not disrupting billionaire coal barons but instead hitting ordinary Australians going about their jobs.

Police rescue crews

The protester

Another protestor was filmed hanging from a light pole at Port Botany while police rescue crews worked below (pictured). 

Blockade Australia has pledged to disrupt roads and rail traffic into the port, and is calling for a major public disturbance of Sydney starting June 27.

Greenpeace condemned the anti-protest laws as antidemocratic and indicative a worrying trend in suppression of protest activity within Australia.

Katrina Bullock, spokesperson for the organization, stated that the new laws could severely stifle advocacy or protest activity.

She stated that these new laws, which were passed in a quick response to protest activity, are just one of a series of increasingly harsh regulatory measures in Australia to limit climate activism.

One protester who climbed a light pole at Port Botany disrupted traffic for hours last Wednesday

One protester, who climbed a lightpole at Port Botany, disrupted traffic for hours on Wednesday 

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