Dozens of climate activists have been charged and a policeman seriously injured during mass protests that brought a Newcastle shipping canal to a standstill

Police have charged 170 activists who took part in a climate protest at Newcastle Harbor after a large group allegedly disrupted ship traffic.

This weekend, a demonstration organized by the activist group Rising Tide took place at the city’s port.

New South Wales Police will allege that a large group of people entered the shipping channel and disrupted vessel traffic.

The New South Wales Port Authority suspended all shipping during the incident.

According to the police, a total of 156 adults and 14 young people were charged – 138 with disturbing order in a large facility and 32 with failing to comply with an authorized officer’s instructions regarding security.

Two people were refused bail at Newcastle District Court on Monday.

Police also say one officer broke his ankle during Sunday’s incident.

It is further alleged that during the arrests it was necessary to pull 34 people out of the water, and that 10 people required police assistance to return to shore.

Police also said numerous traffic offenses unrelated to water activities were issued and five people were charged.

Police said the group allegedly “entered a shipping channel and posed a serious threat to the safety of themselves and others, causing significant disruption to port operations.”

Despite the disruption, the port remains open and there have been 31 shipping operations since Friday.

“The New South Wales Police Force recognizes and supports the rights of individuals and groups to exercise their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly; however, NSW Police’s priority is always the safety of the wider community and there will be zero tolerance for illegal and dangerous behavior, the statement said

Sunday’s incident comes after two men and a woman were charged with failing to comply with safety orders from an authorized officer on Saturday.

The group that organized the large, multi-day protest claimed that forcing the coal ship to stay in port was a victory.

Police say they are taking a “zero-tolerance approach to actions that threaten public safety and the safe passage of ships.”

A spokesman for the New South Wales Port Authority confirmed that all navigation had been suspended.

“In consultation with New South Wales Police and interested parties, a risk-based decision has been made to temporarily suspend navigation,” the spokesman said.

“Protest activity has threatened the security of the shipping channel and led to unacceptable potential risks to public safety, the port and the environment.”

Shadow policing minister Paul Toole blasted the protests, saying they were a major disruption to “hardworking Australians”.

“It is a disgrace and this cannot continue,” Toole said.

“Rising Tide are (allegedly) repeat offenders who are causing anarchy in our ports, disrupting the everyday lives of Australians and behaving in illegal and unacceptable ways.

“They intend to cause as much disruption as possible with as few prosecutions as possible and it is high time they were properly fined and given prison terms for their behaviour.”

Toole said serious questions need to be asked why the protest was given the green light to proceed.

“These protests are disrupting everyday life, whether it’s transport networks, commodity chains, production lines or people commuting to work or school every day. Their actions should not be tolerated,” Toole said.

“Protesters had earlier mocked the Labor government by singing ‘We are the Champions’ while kayaking into the harbour.

“This is what happens when the government treats law and order leniently.

“These professional protesters laughed in the face of the Labor government when it tried to stop them at the last minute, and continued to protest as planned.”

Photos show at least 150 activists waving anti-coal signs and wearing bright colors as they paddle kayaks into the canal.

Officers on inflatable police boats and jet skis were seen pulling protesters into a police vessel.

New South Wales laws prohibit obstructing the safe passage of a vessel.

Police ask that no one else block the shipping channel.

“An unlawful act may result in a fine or imprisonment,” the police said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for protest organizers Rising Tide said in a video that demonstrators welcomed the disruption on ships.

“We have blocked the world’s largest coal port,” said the spokeswoman, identified in the caption as Alexa.

“The mood here on the beach is just amazing. “Everyone is excited, excited and hopeful.”

The attempt to block the ship was part of a 10-day “protest” organized by climate activist group Rising Tide, during which thousands of people descended on the world’s largest coal port.

Midnight Oil frontman and former Labor MP Peter Garrett performed at the protest with his bandmate, guitarist Martin Rotsey.

“Is the real threat to the Hunter region a group of citizens exercising their democratic rights, or the continued export of materials that will burn the world in a furnace?” Garrett said.

Last year, more than 100 people were arrested at the event in what organizers said was the largest act of civil disobedience for climate justice in Australian history.

Earlier this month, New South Wales Police brought proceedings in the Supreme Court of New South Wales to have the protest declared unauthorized on security grounds.

Judge Desmond Fagan ruled in favor of New South Wales Police and banned planned protests on land and water.

But Rising Tide said they retained the right to peacefully assemble.

Maritime NSW attempted to create an exclusion zone around Newcastle Harbour, but this decision was overturned following a successful High Court challenge by Rising Tide.

Newcastle Mayor Dr Ross Kerridge issued a statement earlier this month giving his support for the event to be held at Camp Shortland, provided event organizers tell people to stay out of the shipping channel.