Media release: WA Police admit they pulled gun on 21-year-old climate campaigner during vehicle search hours before protest outside Woodside CEO’s house
Friday 11 August - Perth
WA Police have confirmed they pulled a gun on a young climate campaigner during surveillance of Disrupt Burrup Hub in the days prior to a protest outside the house of Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill that was foiled by a WA counter-terror police sting on 1 August.
On July 31, the evening before the planned protest, police stopped the car of 21 year old Disrupt Burrup Hub campaigner Emil Davey and searched it without providing a warrant or any grounds for suspicion.
As unmarked police approached his vehicle during the traffic stop, an officer drew his service weapon and levelled it at Mr Davey, who was sitting stationary in his vehicle.
Police then searched Mr Davey’s vehicle and questioned him, but released him after finding no evidence.
Disrupt Burrup Hub has previously stated it conducted prior reconnaissance of Ms O’Neill’s property to confirm there is a rear exit that was deliberately left accessible to enable Ms O’Neill to leave if she wished to during the protest out the front of her house.
The morning after Mr Davey’s encounter with armed police, 19 year old Disrupt Burrup Hub campaigner Matilda Lane-Rose was arrested before she could commence her protest outside Ms O’Neill’s house by more than a dozen counter-terror police camped inside the property. A yellow spray paint can and some water balloons were found nearby.
The protest came less than one week after Woodside threatened to sue Disrupt Burrup Hub campaigners in the Supreme Court of Western Australia for loss of earnings and brand damage after the safe, successful evacuation of Woodside’s corporate headquarters in a hoax gas leak on June 1.
21 year old Disrupt Burrup Hub campaigner and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts music student Emil Davey says:
“At 11pm on Monday July 31, I was driving my vehicle on a public road when I was abruptly pulled over by an unmarked police car and held at gunpoint. This experience was extremely traumatising - it is something I’ll never forget. It is totally inappropriate and out of line for the police to draw firearms on an innocent unarmed civilian.”
“I have no doubt that this overreaching, extremist police behaviour is motivated by my association with Disrupt Burrup Hub. It is terrifying that the WA police have turned to such violent and threatening tactics to persecute and intimidate peaceful climate activists in the interest of Woodside and the fossil fuel industry.”
“Last Tuesday August 1, more than a dozen counter-terror police lying in wait inside Ms O’Neill’s property ambushed one nineteen year old climate campaigner outside the property. By contrast, Woodside is planning to take away our homes through Supreme Court threats and by destroying the climate with the Burrup Hub. Disrupt Burrup Hub has previously stated there was reconnaissance of Ms O’Neill’s property to confirm there is a rear exit deliberately left accessible during the protest out the front of the house.”
