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https://www.watoday.com.au/national...omes-over-chalk-graffiti-20210820-p58kn0.html - 20/08/21
WA ‘counter-terrorism police’ raid climate activists’ homes over chalk graffiti
The homes of six West Australian climate activists have been raided by police amid allegations they graffitied a Perth CBD bridge with chalk paint during a protest against oil and gas giant Woodside.
Officers from the state security investigation group, whose duties include counter-terrorism, searched the homes for several hours before arresting the protesters on Thursday* morning.
*[Thursday being the 19th of August. The protest was on the 5th of August]
They were later released on bail under the condition they did not go within 200 metres of Woodside’s headquarters in the CBD or associate with one another, but some members charged are related
Carmen Stobaus, who lives with her two teenage daughters, watched on as state security investigation group detectives searched her home for four hours. She was then carted off to the Perth watch house, where she was formally charged.
Other activists also reported officers confiscating their phones and going through their drawers and personal belongings for two hours before being taken to the watch house for further questioning.
I can't imagine that experience was a positive for mental health for anyone, let alone the two teenage daughters.
Nor do I think it is good for the family members who are no longer allowed to associate with one another.
The hours of raids, by detectives involved in counter-terrorism... all because they wrote “no new gas”, “gas-led extinction” and “pollution tax” in chalk paint, near Woodside's headquarters.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-20/oil-exploration-kids-science-lesson/100388140 - 20/08/21
[]Oil and gas giant Woodside's sponsorship of primary school incursion sparks debate among parents[]
When Perth mother Michelle got a note from her son's public primary school about an upcoming incursion — a visit by outside instructors — she was taken aback to find out it was a science lesson offered by volunteers sponsored by oil and gas giant Woodside
"The children will get the opportunity to make a reservoir using bread slices, vegemite and sprinkles," the note read.
"They will then become their own exploration company and try to find the best spots to drill into the sandwich to find the oil [Vegemite]."
The incursion was offered as part of Woodside's STEM — science, technology, engineering, and maths — in schools program which it said sends "trained volunteers to primary and secondary schools to run activities and share stories that spark curiosity about STEM and its many career options".
Woodside's website advises that the program is fully booked for the remainder of 2021.
---------------------------------------------------------------------Woodside Petroleum is a group that I've talked about on here since 2016, due to their links to state and Federal Australian government. Alexander Downer's involvement, and the connection to the Australia–East Timor spying scandal.
And getting into the health and mental health impacts of the victims, whistler blowers, lawyers et al of those actions and actions since then, would probably need to be a topic of its own.
Wikipedia - Australia–East Timor spying scandal
The homes of six West Australian climate activists have been raided by police amid allegations they graffitied a Perth CBD bridge with chalk paint during a protest against oil and gas giant Woodside.
Officers from the state security investigation group, whose duties include counter-terrorism, searched the homes for several hours before arresting the protesters on Thursday morning.
The slogans were painted on August 5.
The activists were charged with property damage and told to pay $2000 in reparations each.
They were later released on bail under the condition they did not go within 200 metres of Woodside’s headquarters in the CBD or associate with one another, but some members charged are related.
Extinction Rebellion member Carmen Stobaus, who lives with her two teenage daughters, watched on as state security investigation group detectives searched her home for four hours.
She was then carted off to the Perth watch house, where she was formally charged.
Ms Stobaus said “traumatic dawn raids and onerous bail conditions” would not deter her from protesting and had only galvanised her resolve.
“If Woodside is so concerned with property damage, perhaps they should reconsider the threat Scarborough Gas poses to significant Aboriginal rock art,” she said.
“What’s worse – some washable chalk on a bridge, or a fossil fuel giant that will permanently damage Aboriginal rock art and destroy any chance we have of a safe climate?”
Other activists also reported officers confiscating their phones and going through their drawers and personal belongings for two hours before being taken to the watch house for further questioning.
View attachment 1230483
The charges relate to a protest against Woodside’s controversial Scarborough project on August 5, where activists covered a pedestrian bridge on Mounts Bay Road with anti-fossil fuel slogans.
The graffiti, written in chalk, read “no new gas”, “gas-led extinction” and “pollution tax”.
PhD student Kelly Hawes, who is also a member of the group, was also charged for defacing a Woodside billboard and is facing costs of up to $4800 in restitution.
“The WA government is increasingly deploying hard-line authoritarian tactics to stifle any criticism of their mates in the gas industry,” Ms Hawes said.
“The pedestrian bridge between Woodside and Parliament is heavily trafficked by lobbyists ... Hopefully a few of them got the message loud and clear last week: we are accelerating off the climate cliff edge and Woodside is hitting the gas.”
The arrests come a week after the release of the latest report on climate by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The report, which highlighted the gravity of global warming and its devastating impact on the planet, incensed climate activists from around the globe and led to a new wave of protests.
A WA Police spokeswoman confirmed six people had been charged for painting 100 pieces of graffiti on the footbridge and had been summonsed to appear in court at a later date.
Officers from the state security investigation group, whose duties include counter-terrorism, searched the homes for several hours before arresting the protesters on Thursday morning.
The slogans were painted on August 5.
The activists were charged with property damage and told to pay $2000 in reparations each.
They were later released on bail under the condition they did not go within 200 metres of Woodside’s headquarters in the CBD or associate with one another, but some members charged are related.
Extinction Rebellion member Carmen Stobaus, who lives with her two teenage daughters, watched on as state security investigation group detectives searched her home for four hours.
She was then carted off to the Perth watch house, where she was formally charged.
Ms Stobaus said “traumatic dawn raids and onerous bail conditions” would not deter her from protesting and had only galvanised her resolve.
“If Woodside is so concerned with property damage, perhaps they should reconsider the threat Scarborough Gas poses to significant Aboriginal rock art,” she said.
“What’s worse – some washable chalk on a bridge, or a fossil fuel giant that will permanently damage Aboriginal rock art and destroy any chance we have of a safe climate?”
Other activists also reported officers confiscating their phones and going through their drawers and personal belongings for two hours before being taken to the watch house for further questioning.
View attachment 1230483
The charges relate to a protest against Woodside’s controversial Scarborough project on August 5, where activists covered a pedestrian bridge on Mounts Bay Road with anti-fossil fuel slogans.
The graffiti, written in chalk, read “no new gas”, “gas-led extinction” and “pollution tax”.
PhD student Kelly Hawes, who is also a member of the group, was also charged for defacing a Woodside billboard and is facing costs of up to $4800 in restitution.
“The WA government is increasingly deploying hard-line authoritarian tactics to stifle any criticism of their mates in the gas industry,” Ms Hawes said.
“The pedestrian bridge between Woodside and Parliament is heavily trafficked by lobbyists ... Hopefully a few of them got the message loud and clear last week: we are accelerating off the climate cliff edge and Woodside is hitting the gas.”
The arrests come a week after the release of the latest report on climate by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
The report, which highlighted the gravity of global warming and its devastating impact on the planet, incensed climate activists from around the globe and led to a new wave of protests.
A WA Police spokeswoman confirmed six people had been charged for painting 100 pieces of graffiti on the footbridge and had been summonsed to appear in court at a later date.
The homes of six West Australian climate activists have been raided by police amid allegations they graffitied a Perth CBD bridge with chalk paint during a protest against oil and gas giant Woodside.
Officers from the state security investigation group, whose duties include counter-terrorism, searched the homes for several hours before arresting the protesters on Thursday* morning.
*[Thursday being the 19th of August. The protest was on the 5th of August]
They were later released on bail under the condition they did not go within 200 metres of Woodside’s headquarters in the CBD or associate with one another, but some members charged are related
Carmen Stobaus, who lives with her two teenage daughters, watched on as state security investigation group detectives searched her home for four hours. She was then carted off to the Perth watch house, where she was formally charged.
Other activists also reported officers confiscating their phones and going through their drawers and personal belongings for two hours before being taken to the watch house for further questioning.
I can't imagine that experience was a positive for mental health for anyone, let alone the two teenage daughters.
Nor do I think it is good for the family members who are no longer allowed to associate with one another.
The hours of raids, by detectives involved in counter-terrorism... all because they wrote “no new gas”, “gas-led extinction” and “pollution tax” in chalk paint, near Woodside's headquarters.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-20/oil-exploration-kids-science-lesson/100388140 - 20/08/21
[]Oil and gas giant Woodside's sponsorship of primary school incursion sparks debate among parents[]
When Perth mother Michelle got a note from her son's public primary school about an upcoming incursion — a visit by outside instructors — she was taken aback to find out it was a science lesson offered by volunteers sponsored by oil and gas giant Woodside
"The children will get the opportunity to make a reservoir using bread slices, vegemite and sprinkles," the note read.
"They will then become their own exploration company and try to find the best spots to drill into the sandwich to find the oil [Vegemite]."
The incursion was offered as part of Woodside's STEM — science, technology, engineering, and maths — in schools program which it said sends "trained volunteers to primary and secondary schools to run activities and share stories that spark curiosity about STEM and its many career options".
Woodside's website advises that the program is fully booked for the remainder of 2021.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
And getting into the health and mental health impacts of the victims, whistler blowers, lawyers et al of those actions and actions since then, would probably need to be a topic of its own.
Wikipedia - Australia–East Timor spying scandal
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