Police say they’ve arrested 170 people at this year’s Rising Tide ‘protestival’ in Newcastle.
The charges relate to disrupting a major facility and failing to comply with marine safety directions in the port.
Officers charged two men and a woman on Saturday for failing to comply with a safety direction.
More arrests were made Sunday morning when a large group of people are alleged to have entered the shipping channel and to have presented serious safety risks to themselves and others, as well as significant disruptions to the operation of the harbour.
Police say they charged 156 adults and 14 youths .
Most were charged with disruption of a major facility, while 32 people were charged with failure to comply with a safety direction.
Two people were refused bail to appear at Newcastle Local Court today.
Police say 34 people had to be retrieved from the water during arrests, while ten people needed police help returning to shore.
One police officer is said to have suffered a fractured ankle.
Police on land issued traffic infringements, and laid another five charges.
Police minister condemns protesters
Minister for Police Yasmin Catley has released a statement on behalf of the government thanking police for protecting public safety and condemning arrested protesters.
Minister Catley has described as reckless the behaviour of those she says think it ‘acceptable to waste critical policing resources and endanger officers with self-serving stunts’ and ‘irresponsible theatrics’.
Police say the harbour is still open and operating.
Around a hundred arrests were made at last year’s Rising Tide protest, with most protesters later walking from court without penalty, and some with praise from magistrates for their community work beyond the protest.
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