Three charged over coal port protests
A NSW mother says she hopes she has inspired Australians to take a stand on climate change after chaining herself to a conveyor during a protest in Newcastle.
Vanessa Wiebford was one of three protesters charged after chaining themselves to the conveyor at Newcastle Port just after 5am on Thursday.
Protesters blocked three east coast coal ports - Newcastle, Port Kembla and Brisbane - on Thursday morning, coinciding with the Paris climate change summit.
The NSW Police Bomb Disposal Unit released the Newcastle trio, who were arrested and charged with entering an enclosed land.
"It was ... the first time I have done anything like that," Ms Wiebford told AAP.
"We feel like the concerns of the Australian people aren't really being heard by our leaders so we wanted to make a stand to remind them that coal is a pretty big contributor."
More than 30 protesters blocked access to trucks at Port Kembla port in the Illawarra region on Thursday morning.
The trio are due to appear in Newcastle Local Court in January.
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