Man arrested as anti-logging protesters target Toolangi
1 Aug 11 by Alex Munro
The Lilydale and Yarra Valley Leader
UPDATE 3.05pm: A GREENS candidate who ran for the seat of McEwen last year was arrested at an anti-logging protest today.
Healesville environmentalist Steve Meacher was supporting a treetop protester in a logging exclusion zone at Sylvia Creek, Toolangi, when he was arrested by Department of Sustainability and Environment officers at 8am.
Protesters have targeted a logging coupe in Sylvia Creek for the past three weeks, saying it is one of the few old forests to survive Black Saturday and contains the endangered Leadbeater’s Possum.
A press release from The Wilderness Society said a man was also arrested on Friday “after staying high in the canopy and preventing any work from proceeding”.
A tree sitter was removed from the same site earlier this afternoon and the contractor is preparing to resume work late today or tomorrow.
The Department of Sustainability has confirmed that 10 protesters were escorted peacefully from the site, three were arrested and removed after refusing to leave and two were charged under the safety on public land act.