A CONFRONTATION between anti-gas protesters and security staff employed by AGL has turned violent with allegations of assault and an attempted drowning.
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Police arrested two people for trespass at AGL’s fracking operations on Fairbairns Lane early on Monday morning after protesters and security clashed at the site.
AGL alleges protesters tried to gain access to their site and became aggressive when security guards attempted to block them.
An AGL spokeswoman said protesters threw punches at the guards and in one incident a guard fell it to the river and a protester allegedly tried to hold his head underwater.
Another security guard had to be treated for a cut to his arm.
A statement on the Gloucester Protection Camp Facebook page said AGL security guards used “excessive force” with several protesters pushed to the ground.
The statement also accused security guard of not wearing or displaying ID.
A video uploaded to the same Facebook page shows security guards scuffling with at least one protester and several other protesters lying prone on the ground at the gates to the AGL compound.
AGL has again defended the actions of its security personnel.
“While we respect the right for people to protest, there can be no excuse for violence, trespass or ignoring the law,” a spokeswoman said.
“Our security guards were just doing their job and it is disappointing that some protesters chose to act so aggressively.”
Groundswell Gloucester John Watts criticised AGL for its response to the incident.
“Groundswell does not condone violence by any person but AGL is clearly accepting at face value what they have been told by their paid security company," he said.
"It is in my view quite inappropriate for AGL to make such a public statement at this stage when the events are likely to end up before a court.
"One wonders at the motivation behind the making of such a public statement.
"AGL’s security company has adopted a quite aggressive and combative approach which is quite inconsistent with AGL’s profession about the right of people to protest.
"Some of the actions by the security personnel will also be the subject of complaints to the police and others, but unlike AGL, Groundswell will not be attempting have these issues decided other than by the courts or the appropriate authorities. We will not be debating the particular cases in public.”
More than a dozen people have been arrested for protesting at the Fairbairns Lane site.
Carpenter Brett Jacobs became the first person to be arrested when he entered land where AGL is conducting its fracking operations last Tuesday.
The 50-year-old told the Advocate he believed his actions were peaceful and that he would continue to protest against the company’s activities locally.
“I’m sick of the State government saying time after time that Gloucester is different to everywhere else in NSW,” he said.
“We’ve tried the political route - none of them care. The onus isn’t on AGL to prove that coal seam gas is safe, it’s on us to prove that fracking will make you sick and it shouldn’t be that way.”
On Thursday, police charged a 34-year-old Noraville man after he managed to evade AGL security staff and lock on to a truck at the compound on Fairbairns Lane.
The Police Rescue Unit was called and removed the man from the truck. He was later charged with remaining on enclosed land and hindering police.
The man was granted bail to appear at Taree Local Court on November 11.
Several others, including author Sharyn Munro who wrote the book ‘Rich land, Wasteland’, have been arrested after locking on to the gates entering the AGL compound.
In a statement, NSW Police said its first priority was public safety.
“Protesters have the right to safely protest within the boundaries of the law,” police said.
“Equally, the rights of citizens to hold peaceful assemblies is balanced with other rights, including the undertaking of lawful business activities and the safety and security of the broad community and those working on the site.
“Police will balance the needs of all parties involved, while maintaining law and order.”