Update (15 Nov)

At 7:40pm Friday 15 Nov, the NSW Government imposed a sweeping Marine Exclusion Zone covering the Newcastle harbour and offshore, including the waters off nearby public beaches. This exclusion will be in place from 5:00 PM on Thursday, November 21st, until 8:00 AM on Monday, November 25th - across the planned blockade. This means that “no unauthorised vessels or persons other than commercial vessels associated with port operations are permitted to enter the Zone and to do so may be an offence.”

Despite this, the People’s Blockade will go ahead. We are about to make history together. So stick to your guns and keep your plans in motion to attend this powerful event. 

Here’s what you need to know: 

• • Our on-land gathering remains legal, and people will not face penalties unless they disobey police direction.
  • We still have Major Event approval with Newcastle council for our land-based event.  We are working hard to ensure our land-based activities continue as planned: workshops, speeches, our full music program and peaceful protests on public land. 
  • Our police liaison and legal team will be working hard to uphold our rights and provide support.

Update (8 Nov)

Readers may already know that, in NSW, protest organisers must submit a notice of intention to hold a public assembly to the Police Commissioner, known as a form one. Without a form one, protesters could be charged by police for offences including obstructing people, vehicles or vessels.

The NSW Police Commissioner challenged Rising Tide's recent application in the NSW Supreme Court, leading to hearings on Friday, 1 November. While Judge Desmond Fagan upheld the Commissioner's challenge and prohibition orders were issued, this does not mean the peaceful assembly and kayaking cannot go ahead. It can - and Rising Tide organisers are determined that it will. See more in this ABC article.

ARRCC continues to encourage supporters to attend Rising Tide's events in Newcastle, and these will go over the same time period as planned. The program will remain as it always was. We assure supporters that, if you obey any orders from police and are not obstructing shipping in the channel, you can expect to be able to participate without fear of being arrested. 

Police should continue to recognise our right as citizens of peaceful assembly and free speech.

ARRCC information session

If you’re coming along to any part of the Rising Tide People’s Blockade, this will be a chance to hear about how people of faith are involved, to ask questions, to meet with other ARRCC supporters attending, and to join an Affinity Group if you’d like to. Learn more about the legal aspects of the event and what role we, as ARRCC, see ourselves as playing to strengthen this important work. 

This session will be most important to supporters going to the Newcastle phase, but supporters attending either phase of Rising Tide's People's Blockade are all invited.

Sunday 17 Nov, 4 pm AEDT: https://www.arrcc.org.au/second_rising_tide_info_session 

Brief outline of Rising Tide plans

Note that it is vital that you register with Rising Tide if you intend to attend any part of their event.

For more information, check out the Guide here.

We are passing on this important invitation from the grassroots climate group, Rising Tide, because we don’t want you to miss out on their epic upcoming ‘protestival’, the People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coal Port. Last year ARRCC had a strong presence at this event and this year we want to make it stronger still. Please come if you can and be visible as a person of faith in whatever way you can.

The actions will be in two phases:

Phase one: the main event in Newcastle
November 19 to 25

Note especially the Multi-Faith Sacred Service that ARRCC is coordinating on Sunday 24 Nov at 7 - 7.30 am. Details are here: https://www.arrcc.org.au/multi_faith_sacred_service_rising_tide 

There will be a prayer tent for anyone who wants to spend some quiet time, with Quakers inviting people to join a silent meditation for an hour each afternoon Thurs - Sun (time TBA).

Phase Two: the Canberra Wave
November 26 to 28

There will be a visible multi-faith presence during each of the above phases. Please join us there.

Hi,

My name is Alexa, and last year my 97-year-old grandpa got arrested for blockading the world’s largest coal port. He was one of 109 people who were arrested last November in what was the largest act of civil disobedience for climate in Australian history!

The 2023 People’s Blockade was a historic event. We made international news when thousands of people gathered in Newcastle to peacefully blockade the Newcastle coal port for over 30 hours. And this year we’re doing it again, but it’s set to be even bigger!

The People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coal Port is set to be one of the most significant climate uprisings on the planet.  

10,000 people. Across 10 days. If enough people support this mobilisation, it will be game-changing.

And game-changing action is exactly what we need because it’s 2024, and climate records are tumbling and disasters are escalating. 

The future for communities around the world, for my generation and for all those to come, is hanging in the balance. Humanity is at a turning point. Yet, instead of driving a fast and fair transition, our government is approving new coal and gas projects – pouring fuel on the climate fire.

The Newcastle coal port is the largest coal port in the world. When burnt, the coal exported via Newcastle contributes nearly 1% of global carbon emissions. It’s a site of global climate significance.

Image: ARRCC boat on Day 2 of the police-approved People's Blockade in 2023

That’s why this November a huge diversity of people (including myself and my now 98-year-old grandpa) will come together in one of the largest disruptive climate protests in global history, to build our people power and to pile real pressure on our governments against ongoing coal and gas approvals.

The first week will be in the heart of Newcastle, by our beautiful beaches and right by the coal port, with a campsite in the adjacent park.. 

• Nov 19 - 21: training & planning 
• Nov 22- 24: Protestival & flotilla blockade – if you can’t make the whole event, this is when you want to be there! 
• Nov 25: Debrief, next steps and party

There will be a full program of speeches, forums and workshops, great live music & kids’ activities & even floating dance parties! 

Please join us. Invite everyone who cares. We are powerful together.

Find out more, register for either the Newcastle or Canberra actions or sign up for updates here.