Seven protesters involved in this morning’s (surprisingly not lockout-related) protest atop Kings Cross’ Coke billboard have been charged, NSW Police reports.
The Greenpeace members were slapped with trespassing charges after scaling the billboard, and were granted bail. They’ll be appearing before the city’s Downing Centre Court Complex on April 19.
LIVE on #Periscope: Protesters above the Coke sign, Kings Cross, Sydney. My guess is that it relates to #StopCoke https://t.co/tKmx2xiDk0
— Jeremy Fernandez (@JezNews) March 22, 2016
Their goal was to draw attention to Coca-Cola’s opposition to Premier Mike Baird’s proposed cash-for-cans scheme.
Earlier, NSW Environment Minister Rob Stokes said the program is “about creating an incentive to deal with our litter problem, and empowering people to do something about it, when so many environmental problems can seem disempowering”.
South Australia has also had a similar – and successful – system in place for yonks.
This morning’s protest was a continuation of Greenpeace’s campaign against the beverage industry’s lobbying. While Greenpeace protests are standard operating procedure, seeing activists in Kings Cross somewhat supporting one of Mike Baird’s policies is a rare sight indeed.
Source: NSW Police.
Photo: Pedestrian / Chloe Sargeant.
