New Pine Gap protest

By ERWIN CHLANDA

Protesters claim they are stopping 800 US and Australian contractors working at the Pine Gap spy base from participating in the "US / Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank".

The action involves two boats blocking the access road, "linking it to the growing waves of global aid flotillas," according to a statement from the protesters.

As was the case with an earlier protest recently before the court, two people are are locked onto a concrete barrel, sitting arm in arm, blocking the road beside two boats and a group of local residents.

The action is unlikely to stop the working of the base because it has a rear entrance via the Ilparpa Road.

The group is demanding that the Australian Government enact immediate sanctions against Israel; the Australian attorney general prosecute Pine Gap's active involvement in the genocide; close and return Pine Gap "stolen lands" to Arrernte people.

"We're here because Pine Gap is sharing surveillance data, including geo-location information from mobile phones with the genocidal Israeli regime, who are targeting journalists and their families, children, teachers, doctors, patients and the entire population of Palestine." Jorgen Doyle (at right in the photo supplied) says in the statement.

It quotes Professor Richard Tanter: "Pine Gap [is] a critical part of surveillance for operations which supplies intelligence to the United States and we now know, to Israel. Palestinian civilians are part of their surveillance targeting maps."

The statement quotes the website Let’s Talk Palestine: "The estimated range of Palestinian deaths due to the genocide is between 198,675 to 993,375 people. And direct deaths of over 66,000 people, mostly children.

"Countless schools, hospitals, mosques, media, playgrounds, beaches, apartment buildings, restaurants, etc, have been bombed and destroyed by Israeli Occupation Forces."

UPDATED October 10, 3.30pm: Police used specialist equipment to safely remove the protestors from the drum. They were arrested. Both were charged with fail to cease to loiter and will appear in court on November 13.