Coal protesters to face court

Forty-one protesters from the group, Rising Tide Newcastle, were arrested yesterday.

Police say they broke into Newcastle's three coal terminals at dawn, climbing on top of piles of coal and tying themselves to machinery.

Operations at the port had to be stopped for most of the day.

Seven men and two women have been charged with trespassing after they allegedly climbed onto two coal loaders.

Some abseiled down the machine's cables and were hanging 45-metres above the ground.

It took the Police Rescue Squad around ten hours to remove all the activists.

Acting Superintendent, Wayne Humphrey says it was a huge effort to rescue the protesters.

"It is a big drain on resources, taking a lot of police off the road and that obviously diminishes our ability to respond to calls for service in the community normally," he said.

Police expect to fine the other 32 protesters with entering and remaining on enclosed lands.

The nine will face court next month.

Link:  http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/27/3022388.htm