Overview

• The protest, organized by Rising Tide, aimed to disrupt coal exports at the Port of Newcastle, the world's largest coal port.
• Participants included a diverse group of activists, such as a 16-year-old student, a local doctor, and an 84-year-old great-grandmother.
• Eight protesters were arrested for breaching police checkpoints, with some released without charge and others facing restrictions from the port area.
• The demonstration included a festival with performances by Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett, who criticized government inaction on climate change.
• Rising Tide demands a halt to new fossil fuel projects and a 78% tax on coal and gas exports to fund renewable energy transitions.