Two protesters appear in court

Environmental activists show support for their arrested peers in front of the Dunedin District Court yesterday morning. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
Environmental activists show support for their arrested peers in front of the Dunedin District Court yesterday morning. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
A pair of coal protesters arrested after blocking a train across St Andrew St in Dunedin on Saturday have been remanded without plea.

The protesters appeared before a registrar at the Dunedin District Court yesterday morning.

Bruce Bertram Mahalski (58), artist, of Dunedin, and Abigail Katrina Liddy (43), of Waitati, are two of five people charged with ‘‘knowingly obstructing any employee in the performance of his or her duty as a person employed in the service of New Zealand Railways Corporation’’ and ‘‘without express or implied authority of Tranz Rail, entered their railway infrastructure’’, on December 4.

Mahalski and Liddy were remanded without plea to December 21.

The three others charged, all of Christchurch, did not appear and have asked for their cases to be transferred to Christchurch. The maximum penalty on the obstruction charge is six months’ jail or a $2000 fine.

The maximum penalty on the other charge is a $10,000 fine. Three activists were waving flags and handing out information in front of the court house yesterday morning.

One said they were not protesting the charges but were there to show support for those arrested. — Additional reporting Wyatt Ryder

 

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