Climate protesters who stopped traffic over the West Gate Bridge have had their jail sentences extended to two months.
At the County Court of Victoria on Tuesday, Deanna Coco and Bradley Homewood appealed to have their 21-day prison sentences reduced, while crown prosecutors appealed to instead have their sentences increased.
The pair stopped a rented truck on the West Gate Bridge on March 4 — blocking several lanes — before climbing on top of the vehicle and lighting a flare.
Both pleaded guilty to charges of public nuisance and intentionally obstructing police.
Traffic on the bridge was blocked for more than two hours before the two were arrested.
Coco represented herself in court while Homewood's defence lawyers pushed for a community corrections order, saying he wanted to cause "a disruption in a proportionate sense" and had only intended to block three lanes of traffic on the bridge.
It was an assertion Judge David Sexton rejected.
"The conduct was out of all proportion," Judge Sexton said.
"The inescapable conclusion is that this level of disruption was the intended aim of the conduct."
Judge Sexton said that given both appellant's criminal history and recidivism, imprisonment was the only option.
"Each of you deliberately and flagrantly broke the law," he said.
"A message must be sent to like-minded people not to engage in this type of illegality."
Protesters gather outside court in support
Outside of court prior to the appeal hearing, Coco defended her actions as necessary to protect future generations.
"I'm not here to get elected, I'm not here to try and be liked, I'm here to try and get our message across that our children are in danger," she said.
"Facing prison is scary, but it's not as scary as watching my children starve from climate breakdown."
Coco does not have children of her own, which she said was due to her "fear of the future".
Coco was flanked by more than a dozen supporters, with some having to wait outside the full court room.
Supporters included 68-year-old Joseph Zammit, the third protester involved in the West Gate Bridge incident, who was released on bail with his case adjourned to April 16.
Homewood appeared via video link from jail, and blew kisses to supporters in the packed court room.
As a result of the traffic blockage caused by Coco, Homewood and Zammit, one Melbourne woman was forced to give birth on the side of the road in her ambulance.
The couple provided victim impact statements, which Judge Sexton said "vividly and graphically highlight[ed] the significant adverse impacts" of the protest.
Coco said she was "distraught" to learn about the incident, but said it did not affect her mission.
"That mother and baby aren't safe because of the climate and ecological breakdown," Coco said.
"If we don't have immediate action, there's a large chance that baby won't survive to become a mother themselves because of food shortages and climate collapse."
Victoria Police said 13 other call-outs were delayed as a result, as well as three ambulance call-outs.
History of disruptive protests
Homewood and Coco have previously had more than a dozen court appearances and findings of guilt between them across the majority of states and territories in Australia.
Coco has previously faced court over offences in Victoria, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia and the ACT and at the time of the protest was subject to two separate conditional release orders in NSW.
Homewood had six prior findings of guilt across Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia, and had a seven-day suspended sentence — subject to a 12-month good behaviour court order — at the time of the West Gate Bridge incident.
In March 2021, Coco glued her hands to a road intersection outside of Melbourne's Flinders Street Station as part of a protest.
In April 2022, Coco and several others blocked traffic and lit flares on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
She spent 13 days in jail following the Sydney Harbour Bridge protest, with her original 15-month sentence reduced on appeal.
Coco was then arrested the following month at a protest in Newcastle.
The 33-year-old represented herself in court, and in a statement told Judge Sexton that she would "refuse to give up" in the fight to stop climate change.
Outside of court, she said authorities were trying to make a statement by being as harsh as possible with their punishment.
"I think they are trying to make an example out of us, but I think it can have this backfire effect," she said.
"We know that it's part of their strategy to use strategic incapacitation to prevent protesters from participating in democracy."
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2024-03-19 06:25:28Z
CBMiYmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDI0LTAzLTE5L3dlc3RnYXRlLWJyaWRnZS1jbGltYXRlLXByb3Rlc3Qtc2VudGVuY2luZy1hcHBlYWwvMTAzNjA0NzY00gEoaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEwMzYwNDc2NA
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