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https://theconversation.com/another-day-another-roadblock-how-should-nz-law-deal-with-disruptive-climate-protests-213644>
"The most recent protest by the Restore Passenger Rail climate protest group,
in which a Wellington car dealership was defaced with red paint, is not just
the latest in a local movement – it’s part of a global trend.
Airline bosses have been hit with cream pies, Just Stop Oil protesters have
glued themselves to iconic pieces of art in famous galleries, school students
are skipping school to march for climate justice, and airport runways have been
invaded. Everywhere, including in New Zealand, roads and highways have been
blocked.
It’s entirely likely such protests will continue and escalate in their impact
as the climate emergency worsens, and frustration grows with a perceived lack
of meaningful government action.
Groups such Extinction Rebellion view “non-violent direct action and civil
disobedience” as not only justifiable but crucial in the face of what they see
as an urgent existential threat.
But for every climate action there has been a political and legal reaction.
From Europe to Australia there have been crackdowns. New laws have been drafted
in Britain to create specific offences such as obstructing major transport
works, interfering with key national infrastructure, and causing serious
disruption by tunnelling.
Earlier this year, a New Zealander living in Britain was given a “draconian”
three-year prison sentence for his role in a protest that shut down a busy road
in London.
With the stakes rising, it’s important that governments and legal systems find
ways to adapt, without risking a climate protest arms race that may only
encourage increasingly unreasonable impacts on the general public."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
