Over 150 arrested as climate protest disrupts Australian coal shipment
A whopping 170 people were arrested on Sunday during a climate change protest off the coast of New South Wales, Australia. The demonstration was organized by Rising Tide, a climate activist group. Protesters blocked a shipping channel near the Port of Newcastle, forcing an inbound coal ship to abort its arrival and reschedule. Port of Newcastle, located around 170 kilometers (105 miles) from the state capital Sydney, is Australia's largest bulk shipping port on the east coast.
Protest part of 50-hour blockade, minimal disruption reported
The protest was part of a larger 50-hour blockade that started on Friday. A Port of Newcastle spokesperson said the demonstration caused "minimal" inconvenience, although an inbound vessel "aborted due to people in the channel and has been rescheduled to come in." The spokesperson also said that normal operations would resume if police were able to keep the shipping channel clear.
