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A Canterbury coal mine was forced to halt operations after climate activists locked themselves in vehicles, blocking access to the mine.
Some 33 Extinction Rebellion activists locked themselves in two vehicles on the other side of the access road blocking entry to Bathurst Resources’ Canterbury Coal Mine at 4.30am Monday.
Other activists are also believed to have locked themselves inside bulldozers at the site, which is in Malvern Hills, about 20 kilometers west of Darfield.
Police were notified and all trucks to and from the site were stopped, and workers were told not to come to the mine.
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Plans to expand the Canterbury coal mine by an additional 18 hectares have been presented to Environment Canterbury (ECan) and the Selwyn district council to increase the open pit coal mine in Malvern Hills, 20 kilometers west of Darfield.
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The protest is a reaction to Bathurst Resources seeking the consent of Environment Canterbury (ECan) and the Selwyn District Council to expand the mine and increase coal extraction, an Extinction Rebellion spokesman said on Monday.
“To address the climate crisis we must stop burning coal,” said Josie Butler, a member of Extinction Rebellion.
“As a Maori woman, I am here today to defend Papatūānuku (mother earth) and protect our land for future generations.”
Butler said most of the coal from the mine was burned at Fonterra’s milk factories to dehydrate the milk into powdered milk.
David Hallett / Things
Josie Butler, a member of Extinction Rebellion, says that to address the climate crisis, people must stop burning coal.
“As Fonterra burns coal into powdered milk, it is burning the time we have to respond to the climate crisis.”
She said the group was calling for Bathurst and the central government to work together to dismantle the coal mine while ensuring the safety and well-being of the workers.
The open pit coal mine site is 52 hectares, of which 38 are mined. Production at the site is currently 95,000 tons of coal per year, which is sold for industrial and commercial use.
Spokeswoman Zoe Deans, who grew up on a farm 5 kilometers from the mine, said the protesters were prepared to be there for several days.
“It’s cold but everyone is in a great mood, we are well prepared, we have a lot of warm blankets and that kind of thing,” he said.
“As the climate crisis becomes more apparent, it becomes really clear that we need to get that message directly to the people responsible.”
The group was asking Bathurst to withdraw its request to expand the site.
“We are here to close the Bathurst coal mine.
“Coal is a climate killer, we have seen the impact of the climate emergency. California on fire, Australia last summer. It’s downright scary.
“We know that we cannot continue burning coal if we want to have a secure future.”
