Activist pursues private prosecution of FT staff members

A conservationist who was arrested in the Upper Florentine valley yesterday is pursing a private prosecution against Forestry Tasmania staff members, regarding an alleged assault and false imprisonment.

“After receiving legal advice we will be pursuing private prosecutions against Forestry Tasmania staff member Scott Marriott for false imprisonment and assault and another member of their staff for false imprisonment. We will be taking this particular legal avenue as we lack confidence in Tasmania Police,” said spokesperson Ed Hill.

Natalie Keane, 31, of Hobart says she was illegally detained and assaulted by Forestry Tasmania staff members in the quarry site the protest occurred in yesterday. “I have been assaulted at forest protests previously where there is clear video footage of the perpetrator’s however Tasmania Police have failed to prosecute them. That’s why this time I will be seeking a private prosecution,” said Ms Keane.

“Tasmania police claim they are impartial on this issue, why then do they continually fail to prosecute forest industry thugs who repeatedly perpetrate violence towards peaceful protesters? If Tasmania Police were to act in the public interest they would immediately press charges against violent forestry workers who regularly assault peaceful protesters standing up for Tasmania’s world heritage valued forests,” concluded Mr Hill.

Conservationists to charge Forestry Tasmania staff with assault

Two activists are being charged with assault despite claiming that they were assaulted by a member of forestry Tasmania.

 

Two of the activists will be charging Scott Marriott, a Forestry Tasmania employee, with assault as soon as they are bailed. It is alleged that Mr Marriott kicked peaceful protesters who were at this morning's protest.

 

"The forest industries record of violence against peaceful protesters speaks for itself. It has been proved time and time again that it always the forest industry who are behind violent attacks on peaceful demonstrators. Last November two activists were assaulted by logging contractors in the Upper Florentine and two cars we're burnt in a barbaric act of blatant violence. Contractors involved in that incident have had charges laid," said Still Wild Still Threatened spokesperson Ed Hill.

 

"Conservationists have been the victims of violent attacks from the forest industry for over two decades. Violence from forest industry thugs has become routine in the Upper Florentine, however it will not stop the determination of peaceful activists to stand up for Tasmania's globally significant old growth forests," continued Mr Hill.

 

"Forestry Tasmania are using desperate smear campaign tactics to discredit environmentalists and distract the public from the rampant violence that they are unleashing on our old growth forests. The real violence here is the roading, logging burning and wood chipping of our world heritage valued forests." concluded Mr Hill.

Forestry Employees assault conservationists

Four Upper Florentine Arrests, Forestry Tasmania Employee Assaults Two Female Conservationists.

Four conservations have been arrested this morning, as they stopped gravel trucks from entering a quarry. The trucks are taking quarried gravel to the controversial old growth logging road.

Conservationists were physically prevented from leaving the quarry area by Forestry Tasmania employees, with two people assaulted by Forestry Tasmania employee Scott Marriot, including kicking one female protestor.

Two of the arressted will appear in Hobart magistrates court this morning.

"These assaults by a Forestry Tasmania employee are outrageous. Will David Bartlett condemn this violence as strongly as he vilifies peaceful protestors standing up for Tasmania's ancient forests? These kind of actions demonstrate who the real extremists in the Upper Florentine are," Ed Hill said.

A conservationist has locked their arms into a barrel filled with concrete to prevent access to the quarry. The quarry is outside the exclusion zone on an area of public land. When police arrived at the scene they immediatley arrested the three other conservationists for "public nuisance".

"We see these heavy handed tactics, as an attempt by Tasmania police to intimidate conservationists for standing up for Tasmania's forests. In the past when police have used the public nuisance charge against conservationists it has been thrown out in court. This is an attempt by Tasmnaia Police to silence and restrict peaceful protest activity even though they know that their pathetic charges will not stand up in court." said spokesperson Ed Hill.

"Tasmania police need to understand that the public will not be silenced on this issue and that their intimadtory tactics will not silence the will of forests campaigners to stand up and defend these natural wonders."

"It's a shame to see Tasmania police once again looking after the interests of wood chipping barons Gunns Ltd, by protecting them from the public's disapproval; of their wholesale destruction of our iconic old growth forests."

The felling of ancient trees in the area has begun and futher stop work protests and arrests are expected to take place today, in conjunction with the midday rally at parliament lawns.

Logging imminent...

POLICE REMOVE TREE PLATFORM, TREE SITTER REMAINS UP.
LOGGING OF COUPE 44A TO COMMENCE.
MIDDAY PROTEST AT PARLIAMENT LAWNS

Another tree platform has been removed by police late yesterday afternoon; the person occupying the platform has climbed away from police and remains up the tree.

Logging machinery is expected to arrive at the controversial old growth coupe 44A this morning. Conservationists will stay in the area to continue protesting and to monitor operations. At least five Police have maintained a presence in the area throughout the night, in a semi permanent mobile police station bus that has been established on the site.

"Tasmania Police will again show the public whose interests they represent as they personally escort logging machinery into this pristine wilderness forest."

"Today we will bear witness to mass destruction of this pristine ancient eco-system, we will watch trees that were mature when Abel Tasman first sighted this island in 1642, come down in an instant."

"These natural wonder's of the world should be treasured and nurtured, instead they are systematically destroyed inch by inch and then napalmed from the air to leave no trace at all. Today is a sad day not just for Tasmania but the whole world, as these globally significant world heritage valued forests are rushed to the chip mill." Spokesperson Ed Hill said.

"Tasmania should be leading the world in sustainable forest management instead of wiping the last old growth area’s off the face of the planet forever.”

"David Bartlett has a responsibility to protect these final old growth stands, for the future of Tasmania and for global biodiversity retention and climate stability."

A rally at parliament lawns will be held at midday today to support conservationists still in the Upper Florentine and call on David Bartlett to immediately cease operations in the area.Senator Christine Milne will address the gathering.

Further protests are expected throughout the day in the Upper Florentine.

Activists condemn Premier Bartlett's comments

Two Activists Released From Remand,

One Further Arrest.

 

"David Bartlett is claiming that forest defenders are holding a gun to his head. In reality, the only Gunns being held are by David Bartlett, and it is a very warm embrace indeed," Still Wild Still Threateaned spokesperson Ed Hill said.

 

"Still Wild Still Threatened are simply calling for the Premier to respect the wishes of Tasmanians, as shown during the Tasmania Together process, and put an end to old growth logging. David Bartlett and Forestry Tasmania response to the Tasmanian community is to resort to cheap spin doctoring and attacks on the legitimacy of hard working volunteer forest defenders," Ed Hill said.

 

"David Bartett is not building a new Tasmania - he is re-hashing the worst policies of the Lennon era. This is not a visionary, forward looking policy, it is a cheap attempt to marginalise environmentalists to rescue Labor's falling voter support, as seen in the 26% swing against Michael Aird in the legislative council elections," Ed Hill said.

 

The two conservationists held on remand last night have been freed after attending the Hobart Magistrates Court. 34 year old Emma Capp, of Hobart, was bailed with conditions not to enter any Forestry Tasmania land or premises . Ali Alishah was convicted of trespass and ordered to pay a $500 fine.

 

"We have written letters, signed petitions, organised rallies, fundraising events and community forums, and met with politicians. This has failed to remind the Bartlett government of the overwhelming public support for ending old growth logging. As logging machinery enters the Upper Florentine to rip apart this pristine ecosystem for woodchips, I felt I had no other option but to take part in peaceful, direct action in defense of Tasmania's ancient forests, " Emma Capp said.

 

"Peaceful, direct action is a last resort. When David Bartlett recklessly endangers Tasmania's future by sanctioning the destruction of old growth forests and the pollution of the atmosphere, he is failing future generations. I want the children of the future to be able to visit old growth forests in the Upper Florentine, and not have their experience of wilderness restricted to the pictures on Forestry Tasmania's disingenuous tourist brochures," Said Ms Capp.

 

"At 2:30 this afternoon a 26 year old female forest defender was removed from a 45 metre high tree sit by Police Rescue. Police continue to climb trees to remove more tree sits in the area. Logging machinery is expected to arrive tomorrow and stop work protests are expected to take place," Ed Hill said.

90% of the Upper Florentine unavailable for logging?

A Man has been arrested this morning after being removed from a tree by police this morning.

The man spent all night in the tree sitting on a branch, after police removed his platform yesterday. Two more conservationists remain up trees defying police orders to come down.

  

Still Wild Still Threatened has today released maps that disprove Forestry Tasmania's claims that 90% of the Upper is unavailable  Florentine is available for harvesting.

 

"Forestry's track record of telling the truth speaks for itself. If Forestry Tasmania think they can make false claims that suit their own interests without members of the public scrutinizing their claims then they have underestimated the publics concern over this issue."

 

"The maps clearly show that the majority of tall eucalypt forest is not protected, and is available or wholesale wood chip driven destruction"

 

"Forestry claim they have the support of the general public, if that was the case then they wouldn't be making false claims to try and convince Tasmanian's that their operations are sustainable. They are clearly not." Said spokes person Ed Hill

 

The woman removed from the tunnel yesterday is still waiting to appear in Hobart magistrates court. 

Pushing into the Upper Florentine continues

Police are continuing to dismantle the elaborate system of tree sits and road blocks today. The arrival of logging machinery is now imminent, however logging is yet to commence.

 

Support in numbers is expected throughout the day as the community rallies to support the blockade. A peaceful rally is planned for today in solidarity with people still occupying the ancient trees.

 

The two conservationists held on remand last night are expected to be released at 9am this morning in Hobart. "They are peaceful conservationists who are concerned about how we as a state are contributing to the decaying state of the planet. In the future these people may be regarded as heroes, history will be the judge," said spokesperson Ed Hill.

 

"The peaceful protesters in the Upper Florentine care about Tasmania's environment and community and contribute to it in so many ways, yet the Tasmanian Police insist on treating them like hardened criminals by enforcing over the top remand conditions," said Mr Hill. 

 

“We once again reiterate our calls to meet with Premier Bartlett and key industry stakeholders to come to a solution to this decade’s long dispute. Premier Bartlett needs to understand that he leaves us no option but civil disobedience if he continues refusing to engage with forest campaigners,” concluded Mr Hill.

 

Protest activity is expected to escalate throughout the week.