On Monday, Sydney residents had to endure a hellish commute to work as dozens of Blockade Australia protesters took to the streets to create mayhem for yet another day.
On Monday night, NSW police arrested ten protesters, including Mali, 21, who blocked traffic by blocking the entrance to the busy tunnel with a white rental hatchback.
She was challenged by an irate driver as she was streaming a livestream of her protest, and police rescue squad members ultimately had to free her from the vehicle.
Mali was denied bail and will now appear in Central Local Court on Tuesday on charges of entering the Sydney Harbour Bridge and interfering with vehicles.
She was one of eight people—six women and four men—all between the ages of 21 and 49 who were detained and charged with a number of offenses in connection with Monday’s unauthorized protests.
All but one had their requests for appearance on Tuesday in Central or Downing Center Court denied.
Other allegations included impeding the way of a driving or another pedestrian and purposely preventing a person or vehicle from passing.
After Blockade Australia issued a warning about additional disruptions, police launched Strike Force Guard and planned to maintain a very visible presence in the CBD for the remainder of the week.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Paul Dunstan said, “It is intolerable that a tiny number of persons, who have little to no regard for everyday people going about their lives, are causing unnecessary interruptions to their daily commute.”
“What these people are doing is illegal and unsafe, endangering the lives of themselves, members of the public, and our officers by rushing on the roadways and obstructing roads in other ways to impede traffic,” the statement reads.
The unapproved protest on Monday allegedly featured 60 people and impeded both pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Numerous specialized officers, including members of the Public Order and Riot Squad, Mounted Police, Rescue Squad, Dog Squad, Traffic and Highway Patrol, and Transit Police, were sent to help with the operation.
The acts of the protesters were denounced by the NSW government on all sides.
Deputy Premier Paul Toole remarked, “I would say this to the protesters: Go and get a real job.”
“Go and speak to someone who has actually been late for work today.”
‘We may have had women waiting to get to emergency departments, birthing centers to give birth to children or [other] emergencies,’ said Chris Minns, the leader of the labor opposition.
On Monday night, Blockade Australia issued a warning on its Facebook page, stating that resistance would continue Tuesday and for the rest of the week.
When an irate driver approached Mali’s window and started cursing at her before storming off, Mali started to livestream the protest.
He screams, “You’re ruining everyone’s day.” Get the f*** out of my way, please!
Mali responds unperturbed, continuing to stare into the camera, “To this man I would say I stand with you.” We are doing this for your benefit and the benefit of your family.
Mali organized the demonstration while dozens of Blockade Australia protesters marched through the CBD’s streets, causing traffic jams and altercations with law enforcement.
A frustrated driver was caught on camera squeezing their car through the mob, forcing people to duck out of the way while one protester pounded on the car’s bonnet as they were forced backward.
On the other side of the city, Mali, who spoke about climate change in her livestream, drank water from a plastic water bottle and continued her protest.
She addressed the camera, saying, “The police are here.” I don’t know if you can see. I appreciate all of you who have listened.
“I don’t know how much longer I’ll be able to hold this phone and hold this space,” the person said. A significant day is ahead.
The enraged commuter then makes her way back up to her car while she peers out the window to see if the police are still circling her vehicle.
She was called “f***ing selfish” by the commuter, who also muttered something so offensive about “prison” that it cannot be printed.
Mali tries to ignore the commuter calling her names while continuing to look away from her phone.
The commuter then turns around and leaves as Mali appeals to her audience to support her cause.
“Come and show your support. Discover your voice, she advised.
Then a policeman approaches her window and formally requests identification from her.
Up to 2,000 cars utilize the tunnel each hour as one of the main thoroughfares for commuters crossing the city’s harbor.
Drivers were backed up for several kilometers as a result of the Harbour Bridge being used as the only route for traffic.
The moment members of the radical Blockade Australia organization were almost struck by an SUV while standing in the middle of an intersection near Wynyard Park is shown in extraordinary video shot in Sydney’s central business district.
One angry driver sped right through the protest, despite protesters’ futile attempts to halt it and chase it across the street, nearly running them over.
Mali “put herself at risk, placed members of the public at risk, and placed rescuers at risk,” stated acting assistant commissioner Dunstan in response to the protester’s conduct.
The officer stated, “This group’s actions are nothing short of illegal behavior.”
“The people of NSW will not tolerate and cannot allow the tossing of bicycles, garbage bins, and other items in the way of police, in the path of the media, in the path of innocent members of the public merely going by.”
When asked if he had any advice for protesters who believe they escaped arrest, Mr. Dunstan responded, “We are checking CCTV. Expect a knock on your house.”
Will be coming to arrest you, I promise.
Mr. Dunstan continued, calling the protesters’ behavior “awful” and said that their acts were “very hazardous.”
Mali was one of the many Blockade Australia protesters that attacked the city after making a promise to make commuters’ lives miserable for a week by obstructing traffic while police desperately tried to put up barricades to stop the demonstration.
The radical group claimed in a statement that the start of its week-long protest actions was “its Sydney mobilization to combat climate disaster.”
Sydney is where Australia’s operation started, and for more than two centuries, it has been the location of Australia’s most ferocious destruction of this continent, according to a group spokesperson.
Australia’s institutions are hubs of coercive power that make this abuse possible. The only way for us to stop this scheme of destruction is through organized opposition and the deployment of tactical direct action.
‘Blockade Australia will continue to cause disruption and resist climate destruction in the days to come.’
Meanwhile, furious Australians have flocked online to slam the group for interrupting society with ‘dangerous’ antics.’
‘These Blockade idiots need to think better,’ one person tweeted.
‘Even though many support Climate Change, still most of Australia is against these fools. Ban their public welfare if the want to put lives in danger blocking traffic and transport.’
‘I’m sorry but #BlockadeAustralia is 10yrs too late & giving climate change activism a bad name,’ another said.
Another man noted that because of the roadblocks caused by the protests, people were spending longer in their cars with the heaters on, which ironically was terrible for the environment.
A fourth person remarked, “Protesting is fine, but harassing the larger community is just selfish.”
Crowds of demonstrators gathered on Elizabeth Street before marching through Hyde Park and towards NSW Parliament as commuters started making their way into the city for work.
When police halted the gathering at the intersection of George and Bridge streets, preventing access to the Harbour Bridge, the crowd was forced to disperse.