8th September 2023
“We are back here today to tell our government that they cannot arrest their way out of the climate crisis,” said spokesperson Joseph Fullerton. “All we are asking for is a really simple way to reduce transport emissions — restore a reliable and affordable national rail service and make urban public transport free.”
On Tuesday, Jen Olsen, a 63-year-old health care worker, was arrested and denied bail, meaning she will remain imprisoned in custody until her court appearance on September 21. Olsen joins Rosemary Penwarden, who was remanded in custody on Tuesday 29 August.
“Jen and Rosemary are, we believe, the first climate activists to be held in prison for climate protest in Aotearoa New Zealand. Both were taking part in peaceful civil resistance in desperation about the climate crisis,” said spokesperson Joseph Fullerton. “We challenge the government to take a long hard look at who the climate criminals in this country really are. Is it really these two women who peacefully sat on a road, with full understanding of the personal cost to themselves? Or is it the industries that continue to delay and avoid making the changes needed to decrease our carbon emissions—industries that seem to have little regard for the climate crisis and our younger generations?”
Olsen said: “I knew this could happen after what happened to my fellow activist Rosemary last week, but I was prepared and committed to action on climate because this is more important. This is not about me, this is not about Rosemary. This is about action on the climate crisis. I’m part of the generation which caused all this. I don’t want to be part of the problem any longer.”
“Arresting activists and locking them up is not going to change what is happening to our world. It’s an emergency; we know it’s a climate emergency. We need action right now.”