Burrup protesters Elizabeth Burrow and Petrina Harley guilty of failing to obey, obstructing officers

Two Perth residents have been found guilty of blocking the Burrup Road as part of a protest against the Scarborough gas development, and have been sentenced to 100 hours of community service.

The pair were found guilty of failing to obey an order given by an officer, obstructing public officers, and unreasonably obstructing or preventing the free passage on a path or carriageway in Karratha Magistrates Court last week.

Karratha police arrested the pair on the evening of November 24, 2021 after a 14-hour protest which blocked access to key industrial sites on beaches on the Burrup Peninsula.

They had parked a car and trailer across the road and locked themselves to the blockade by putting their arms in 44-gallon drums filled with concrete.

The court heard the accused were given multiple move-on orders, the first of which was at 1.50pm before they complied at 5.40pm.

Prosecutors previously told the court the pair had put their arms in a 44-gallon drum filled with concrete inside the caravan and refused to move.

Prosecution witness Karratha officer Sharn Hawkins, who was first on the scene of the protest at about 4am, said she saw the two women sitting with one arm each inside the barrel.

She said the women briefly explained there was a pole and cement inside the drum.

She also described the location of the blockage.

“It was after the Hearson Cove turn-off,” Ms Hawkins said.

“The road narrows because of two railings at the side and it drops off to the side so you can’t fit a car around.”

Lock-on removalists from Perth arrived after midday.

The court was told the pair were given move-on notices about 2pm and at 4.30pm the accused told officers how the device worked.

At 5.04pm, Ms Harley was able to self-release and was taken to hospital by St John. Thirteen minutes later, Ms Burrows was able to self-release and was also sent for a check-up.

At a hearing on December 1, Ms Harley and Ms Burrows, who represented themselves, defended their alleged actions on the basis that climate change was an “extraordinary emergency” that justified breaking the law.

Ms Harley and Ms Burrow were previously granted bail subject to a series of conditions, including not approaching within 10km of Burrup Road and not to communicate, attempt to communicate or associate with the co-accused or other members of the protest.

Magistrate Cillian Stockdalesentenced the pair to a six-month community-based order, issued a requirement to complete 100 hours of community service, and fined each of them $600.

It is understood Police would be seeking $33,000 in costs from the pair to cover flights and accommodation for police sent to respond to the incident.