Radio host Ben Fordham has criticised the courts for their alleged “leniency” towards climate change activists after their irrational marches this week caused disruption on Sydney’s streets.
Blockade Australia was criticised by Fordham, who claimed that the environmentalists were abusing the judicial system and interfering with Sydney residents as they went about their daily lives.
Fordham made the remarks as part of an on-air rant over the protests in which he disparaged the demonstrators.
The host of 2GB claimed that the protesters believed they were above the law.
Fordham targeted Mali Cooper, 22, for blocking hundreds of commuters’ access to the harbour tunnel entry by parking her car there and chaining her neck to the steering wheel on Monday during rush hour.
Fordham said “You can almost set your watch to it.”
She spent the previous night in jail on serious allegations, but a magistrate has just granted her bail.
According to the government’s allegedly “strong new protest rules,” she faces two years in prison and a $22,000 fine, but she has returned to the streets.
He claimed that the court’s ruling was a mockery of the government’s March promise to put a stop to demonstrators’ “extreme and selfish actions.”
The new laws were pushed through by the NSW government early this year to reduce disruptive protests.
One of these was a blockage that Fireproof Australia activists set up in February on the city-bound highways coming from the northern beaches.
Fordham claimed that despite the stricter regulations, the courts were issuing “get-out-of-jail cards” to the Blockade Australia demonstrators.
Fordham claimed on Wednesday that “The Blockheads are laughing at us.”
Fordham said that the gang has received legal counsel to not speak if detained and to delay making an admission of guilt if bail is rejected.
The outspoken broadcaster continued by saying it was wrong that the driver, who was trying to pass protesters on Monday, received a $469 fine and three demerit points deducted from his licence.