Large numbers of police officers are expected to try to break up a blockade site in Bentley, near Lismore, where the community is opposing gas drilling by Metgasco in NSW's Northern Rivers. It is possible police will begin to move protesters as early as May 19.
Hundreds of people are camping at the site to prevent trucks carrying drilling equipment from gaining access to the site. They warn that up to 7000 people will gather to defend the campsite from police.
Anti-gas campaigner Aiden Ricketts said: “What appears on the surface to be simply a dispute about a speculative gas explorer gaining access to a drilling site is rapidly turning into a grand experiment in the power of local democracy to resist the seemingly overwhelming combination of state and corporate power.
“Reliable intelligence now reveals that the state government is raising a force of police up to 700 strong from around the state to come to Bentley to deal with the very large outbreak of democracy that is occurring. The audacity of a government embattled by internal corruption to send such a military-type force against a united regional population is staggering.”
The community group organising the blockade, Gasfield Free Northern Rivers, says: “The community believes this to be both unnecessary and an absolute breach of their democratic right to express their opposition to this toxic industry. The government has not heard nor acted on the community's overwhelming support for a gasfield free community, of which 87% voted against the industry in a local council election.
“The Northern Rivers calls on people everywhere, particularly in the cities, to support their opposition to this industry and demand that there is an immediate political solution that calls off the New South Wales police being used to force access.
“This level of force is dangerous and unnecessary for a community engaging in peaceful and non-violent direct action to protect the land and water which they are dependent upon.”
Campaigners are calling on the government to impose an immediate freeze on licence and exploration activity and review the situation.
[For more information, visit Gasfield Free Northern Rivers.]