One protester locked onto a drill rig in an area of the Leard Forest that has been cleared for blasting and two other

activists attached themselves to a crane that’s working on a rail line for the mine near the Namoi River. Late yesterday afternoon Leard Alliance spokesman Phil Evans told The Leader the protester on the drill rig had been removed by police rescue officers earlier in the 

day and detained, and at the time of going to print police had moved onto the second site where it was expected the protesters would be removed and arrested.

He declined to give any details of the protesters’ identities yesterday, but said the group’s actions would be ongoing.

“We are determined to halt construction of this site for as long as it takes to convince the government that this coal- mine expansion and the destruction of the Leard Forest should never have been allowed to go ahead,” Mr Evans said.

One protester locked onto a drill rig in an area of the Leard Forest that has been cleared for blasting and two other activists attached themselves to a crane that’s working on a rail line for the mine near the Namoi River. Late yesterday afternoon Leard Alliance spokesman Phil Evans told The Leader the protester on the drill rig had been removed by police rescue officers earlier in the 

day and detained, and at the time of going to print police had moved onto the second site where it was expected the protesters would be removed and arrested.

He declined to give any details of the protesters’ identities yesterday, but said the group’s actions would be ongoing.

“We are determined to halt construction of this site for as long as it takes to convince the government that this coal- mine expansion and the destruction of the Leard Forest should never have been allowed to go ahead,” Mr Evans said.