Lock the Gate Alliance 19 Dec 2012
The blockade at Kerry continued into its eighth day this morning and protesters opened up a new front at an Arrow Energy drill site at Silverdale on the Cunningham Highway.
A local woman, Linda Weston was arrested at 9.30 this morning at the Silverdale site for refusing to obey a police direction. Nearly five hours later she is still in custody in the Ipswwich watchhouse and she has been charged under the controversial section 805 of the petroleum and Gas Act which carries a potential $50,000 fine.
President of the lock the Gate Alliance, Drew Hutton, who was at the Silverdale blockade, said this was a blatant attempt at intimidation by the Queensland Police and the Bligh government.
Ms Weston was standing on public land no more than 5 metres from the highway and offered no resistance when arrested by the police," Mr Hutton said.
The police also used other intimidating tactics.
At the Kerry site a Police vehicle entered the blockaders' camp which was on property owned by a farmer sympathetic to the group and police continually threatened blockaders with arrest if they put one foot on the road.
"We generally have very good relations with the police and have no problem with them carrying out their jobs in a professional way, even if it means that, on occasion, they might arrest some of us," Mr Hutton said.
"However, I call on the police leadership to ensure their officers do not go beyond the limits of thier professional roles."
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