Two climate activists who had been blockading container聽trains in Port Botany for three days were told on March 24 their visas were cancelled. Immigration Minister Alex Hawke told Radio 2GB he decided to cancel the聽visas of 鈥渢wo non-citizens鈥 鈥渙n good order grounds鈥. The two are detained, awaiting deportation聽to Germany.
A Blockade Australia spokesperson condemned the government for 鈥渄raconian overreach鈥 and called for the decision to be reversed, for the activists to be released and for freedom for all refugees 鈥渄etained in concentration camps run by Australia鈥.
Alex Pearse, who suspended himself from a monopole聽blocking all trains running to and from the Port of Botany on March 24, said: 鈥淎ustralia is a rigged system, doing exactly what it was designed to do: exploit people and extract resources.鈥
Pearse, an environmental scientist, said he was taking direct action because 鈥渨ithout a halt to business as usual there will be no true change鈥. 鈥淣o matter what party, no matter what policies, self-preservation and the protection of the ruling class is what Australia does best.鈥
A Blockade Australia spokesperson said the government鈥檚 efforts to stop the climate activists will not work.
鈥淎ustralia is internationally recognised for its role in causing and fuelling climate collapse 鈥 Activists from across the world continue to call out Australia's response to climate change 鈥 a death sentence disguised as action.鈥
Blockade Australia said it would continue to expose Australia鈥檚 role in driving climate collapse.