Rising Tide vows to proceed with ‘protestival’ blockade at Newcastle coal port despite losing legal fight

Anti-coal protesters take to the water in Newcastle during last year’s blockade. Photograph: Roni Bintang/Getty Images

Climate protesters have vowed to stick to their plan to blockade the Port of Newcastle, despite the New South Wales police winning a legal challenge in their attempt to stop it.

“The [protest] will go ahead,” Rising Tide’s organiser, Zach Schofield, told reporters on Thursday. “We do have a right to assemble on public land and water, and we will be exercising that right, because it is critical for democracy.”