Climate activists are warning the public to expect more disruptions after simultaneous protests at ports in Newcastle, Brisbane and Melbourne on the anniversary of a high-profile raid.
Three people have been charged over their involvement in the Monday protests, which were live-streamed to social media.
Zelda Grimshaw from Blockade Australia said people should “stay tuned” for further protests from the group.
“You cannot decapitate the climate movement – you cut off one head and three will come back,” she said.
The port protests were held on the same date a rural property in Colo, northwest of Sydney, was raided last year.
Dozens of Blockade Australia members had allegedly been training for future protests at the site and police said they shoved officers and let down the tyres on a vehicle.
Seven activists were later charged with various offences including affray, damaging property and assaulting, intimidating and obstructing police.
But Ms Grimshaw said the group had “come back threefold” exactly a year after the raid.
Monday’s protests were aimed at disrupting ports seen as key to the country’s economic functioning, she added.
“We’re hoping that by putting a dent in that we can … dismantle the resistance that Australia has to climate action,” she said.
A 22-year-old woman, identified by Blockade Australia as Raffi, was removed by police after suspending herself off a bipod above a rail bridge at NSW’s Port of Newcastle, a major coal terminal.
She was charged with causing an obstruction to a railway locomotive and entering enclosed lands, giving rise to serious risk to safety.
Shipping operations were unaffected by the protest, a Port of Newcastle spokesman said.
In Melbourne, Brad Homewood dangled above the ground for hours at Coode Island, blocking operations at the ports.
The 51-year-old said he took the action because Australia was “extracting coal and exploiting it with a callous disregard for all forms of life”.
Police rescue crews appeared in the background of his Facebook live feed at 10am, with the picture cut soon after he was brought down.
He was charged with intentionally obstructing police and conduct endangering serious injury, among other charges, and was due to appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Monday evening.
In Brisbane, a 23-year-old woman was charged after causing major disruption at the Port of Brisbane Motorway at Lytton, when she perched atop a bamboo pole before being removed.
Police said the Mount Gravatt East woman was charged with unregulated high-risk activities, trespass, committing public nuisance and several other charges relating to blocking traffic.
She will face court next month.
Governments in Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and South Australia have recently moved to clamp down on climate protesters, passing legislation to steeply increase jail time and fines for disrupting major roads and facilities.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said protests that put emergency service workers at risk came with severe penalties and endangering responders was unacceptable.
“We accept that it’s important to have a society where people protest, but to do it on a rail line, when you’re endangering yourself and the police, is just beyond the pale,” he said.
But Ms Grimshaw dismissed claims emergency service personnel were put at risk.
“I can assure you the police look after their own safety very, very well,” she said.
“We’re not putting anyone at risk.”
