The conservative head of Australia’s government has described climate protesters as a “new breed of radical activism.” Critics have accused Scott Morrison of trying to weaken fundamental rights in the country.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday threatened to outlaw climate protests, accusing them of increasingly disrupting the country’s lucrative mining industry.
“We are working to identify serious mechanisms that can successfully outlaw these indulgent and selfish practices that threaten the livelihoods of fellow Australians,” Morrison said.
His proposal comes a day after protesters attempted to blockade a mining conference in Melbourne, which at one point triggered clashes with police.
“The right to protest does not mean there is an unlimited license to disrupt people’s lives and disrespect your fellow Australians,” Morrison said.
Morrison, who won a surprise electoral victory earlier this year, has refused to take steps to curb emissions from the coal mining industry in Australia. He is renowned for bringing coal to a parliamentary session in a show of support for the carbon-intensive resource.
Although Australia has long been home to a vibrant climate justice community, the “Extinction Rebellion” movement has created a global urgency among youths.
Critics have hit out against the proposal to outlaw climate protests and attempts to pressure companies to disengage from the coal industry.
Read more at DW
I’ve been reading about those protests going on in Chile right now. I saw some pictures of police getting burnt by molotov cocktails! I won’t be traveling there any time soon.
The paint they used on their signs is a byproduct of fossil fuels in a way these protesters are Hypotcrites
There is a big difference between freedom of speech and peaceful assembly and what the environmental activists are doing. They are attempting to physically force their will on companies and a population that stated in the last election they don’t want the green agenda. Breaking laws, interfering with peoples’ lives and the economy, and applying forceful tactics should be automatic long prison sentences.
The government should enforce the laws they have with these clowns, and not give them a free pass because of their supposedly superior moral stance.
They are easy to identify. Disconnect electricity and gas on all properties they own and let them lead the way into extinction avoidance.
The more these idiots yell and shout and wave their stupid signs in the air the more people will see them as a bunch of total idiots they are
Let the radical activism have their voice. They overstep their bounds and begin to sound like the crazies that they are, and that is all you need to halt their nonsense. Make them into a joke. Everyone enjoys a good laugh. No one likes to be laughed at.