Qld: Greenpeace protesters arrested for scaling coal terminal

AAP General News (Australia)
08-05-2009
Qld: Greenpeace protesters arrested for scaling coal terminal

BRISBANE, Aug 5 AAP - Four Greenpeace activists have been charged with unregulated
high-risk activity after climbing onto a section of Australia's northernmost coal terminal.

The Greenpeace vessel Esperanza on Tuesday stationed itself near the Xstrata Coal operated
Abbot Point terminal, 25km north of Bowen in north Queensland.

Activists then climbed onto a section of the terminal, which is undergoing an expansion
to double its capacity, but were unable to unfurl a massive banner due to high winds.

The protest - which did not disrupt coal loading - was timed to coincide with this
week's Pacific Islands Forum meeting where a regional approach to climate change will
be discussed.

Protesters say the government is not taking enough action against climate change as
Pacific Island leaders call for major emission cuts from Australia and New Zealand to
save their homes from rising sea levels.

Police charged a 33-year-old man, a 37-year-old man, a 27-year-old man and a 24-year-old
woman with unregulated high-risk activity.

They will appear in the Bowen Magistrates' Court on August 11.

AAP peb/jl

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