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Ten people have been arrested after climate activists locked themselves in vehicles, blocking access to a Canterbury coal mine.
More than 30 Extinction Rebellion activists locked themselves in the vehicles at 4.30am Monday, blocking the access road to Bathurst Resources’ Canterbury Coal Mine.
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.
Stuff understands that at least 10 people have been arrested.
Chris Skelton / Stuff
Extinction Rebellion activists have chained themselves to vehicles blocking the access road to Bathurst Resources Canterbury coal mine.
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A police spokesman did not want to confirm how many people had been arrested, but said that a “number of protesters” had been arrested after chaining themselves to machinery in the mine shaft area.
“While the police recognize the legal right to protest, our priority is to ensure safety and respect the law.
“In this case, it is not safe for the protesters to be in this area.”
Police would remain at the scene and respond appropriately to any problems that may arise, the spokesperson said.
All trucks to and from the site have been stopped and the workers have been told not to go to the mine.
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Plans to expand the Canterbury coal mine by an additional 18 hectares have been submitted to Environment Canterbury (ECan) and the Selwyn district council to increase the open pit coal mine in Malvern Hills, 20 kilometers west of Darfield.
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 member Josie Butler.
“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.
“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.
David Hallett / Things
Josie Butler, a member of Extinction Rebellion, says that to address the climate crisis, people must stop burning coal.
“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.”
Ciara Foley, 16, of Lyttelton, is the youngest protester at the scene.
The Christchurch student said she was not worried about being arrested.
“I believe that my future exceeds a law of transgression,” he said.
“Actions like this are really important, they take you right to the source.
“We cannot afford to expand the coal mines in a climate emergency, we need to close them and provide an alternative to workers.
“Time is not a luxury that we have in the climate emergency, we have to act now.”
Coal Action Network Aotearoa spokeswoman Cindy Baxter said the group stood in solidarity with the Extinction Rebellion protesters.
“Fonterra should be ashamed that their inability to switch coal is the reason Bathurst wants to expand this mine,” he said.
“The developed world must stop using coal by 2030 if we want to keep global warming at 1.5 ° C under the Paris Agreement, and this should include Fonterra and the rest of the dairy industry.”
Baxter said that not only should the mine extension not continue, but ECan should close it completely due to “continued and extensive violations of its consents.”
