A climate protester who was jailed for blocking peak-hour traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge has been released on bail pending an appeal.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Deanna "Violet" Maree Coco was handed a 15-month sentence in December for her role in a protest that disrupted morning peak-hour traffic in April.
The 32-year-old was part of a two-car convoy that obstructed traffic on one lane of the bridge to raise awareness for climate change.
She was sentenced to a non-parole period of eight months, expiring on July 31, 2023, for breaching traffic laws by blocking traffic, possessing a flare in a public place and resisting police orders.
Coco was also fined $2500 for lighting the flare atop a truck parked on the bridge.
Crown prosecutor Nick Leach opposed bail on Tuesday at Sydney's Downing Centre District Court citing concerns the climate activist would fail to appear in court and endanger community safety.
Judge Timothy Gartelmann rejected those arguments saying a substantial surety payment and the fact that she had not breached her previous bail conditions alleviated the concerns as he granted her bail.
"I'm not satisfied she would present an unacceptable risk of endangering the community subject to these conditions," he said.
The Crown had also pressed for curfews should the activist be subject to a conditional release, which defence lawyer Michael Blair rejected.
"She hasn't breached any bail conditions at all during the whole time she was on bail," Mr Blair said.
In his decision, Judge Gartelmann noted Coco's co-offender Jay Larbalestier had not received a prison sentence, although he was charged with fewer offences.
Coco will be required to reside at a nominated address in Sydney until December 29 and cannot go within a kilometre of the Harbour Bridge.
Once she returns to Lismore, the activist will not be permitted to enter the Greater Sydney region unless to attend court.
She will have to report to police every week and surrender her travel documents.
In a statement from prison after learning of her release, Coco accused governments of failing to protect people from horror natural disasters despite warnings from scientists.
"I have been imprisoned rather than listened to," she said.
Coco's conviction came after the NSW government passed laws to punish disruptive climate protests earlier in the year, with activists facing fines of up to $22,000 and two years in prison.
Outside court, Coco's father Peter Henskens responded to comments made by his brother NSW cabinet minister Alister Henskens who voted for the legislation and appeared unsympathetic to his niece's plight saying no one was above the law.
"I don't think this law is just. I don't think what he was saying was incorrect, but people should be given the right to protest," Coco's father said.
"It's something I believe is unAustralian."
The NSW Greens have announced the party will move to enshrine the right to protest without imprisonment in the next parliament.
The party's justice spokeswoman Sue Higginson said the state government had been in lockstep with the opposition to introduce the "draconian" laws.
"What's really clear is that the system has failed ... it's a moral hysteria," she said.
Human rights groups have labelled the protester's jail sentence vindictive legal action that restricted the right to peaceful protest.
Human Rights Watch researcher Sophie McNeill urged the state government to review the problematic anti-protest law following Coco's conditional release.
Coco's appeal against her sentence is slated to be heard in the District Court on March 15.
Australian Associated Press
