Alister Henskens (left) and Premier Dominic Perrottet watched the Socceroos at the Sydney live site last weekend.Credit:Flavio Brancaleone
The following month Coco,known as Violet,was among four Fireproof Australia protesters who parked a truck on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during peak hour to protest against inaction on climate change. Some glued themselves to the road,and Coco climbed atop the truck and lit a flare.
This week,the 32-year-old was sentenced to 15 months in jail with a non-parole period of eight months. Premier Dominic Perrottet heralded the sentence as a “clear lesson” to those considering protesting in a way that disrupts traffic.
“If protesters want to put our way of life at risk,then they should have the book thrown at them and that’s pleasing to see,” Perrottet said. “We want people to be able to protest but do it in a way that doesn’t inconvenience people right across NSW.”
Henskens,who is Coco’s uncle,appeared unsympathetic to her imprisonment and stood by the laws when asked for his views on Tuesday.
A group of protesters on the steps of the Downing Centre Court call for the release of activist Deanna “Violet” Coco,the end of protest laws,and climate action.Credit:Kate Geraghty
“Nobody is above the law,” he said. “We are all equal before the law and individuals must take responsibility for their actions. It’s up to our independent judicial system to determine the appropriate course of action in any individual case.
“I strongly believe in the right to freedom of speech,including in the form of lawful,peaceful protests. NSW is one of the freest places in the world to express a point of view,with a very clear set of laws which I fully support.”