An elderly activist who protested against the felling of hundreds of trees in the Adelaide Park Lands says she has not ruled out being arrested again, despite a magistrate warning she could face a criminal conviction if she repeats the offence.
Mij Tanith, 78, pleaded guilty in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Friday to being unlawfully on premises during a May 15 protest at the North Adelaide Golf Course, where almost 600 trees were being removed. The felling operation largely concluded a week later.
Tanith appeared in court supported by dozens of fellow activists inside and outside the building.
Magistrate Ben Sale said he would not record a conviction or impose a fine, citing Tanith’s previous good character. However, he ordered her to pay court fees and warned that any repeat offence would likely result in a conviction.
“To have the leniency of having no conviction recorded, the court has to be of the view that you are unlikely to do this offence again,” he said. “If it was repeated, you might well have a criminal conviction recorded. That may make all sorts of things difficult for you, including travelling to certain countries.”
Sale stressed that breaches of criminal law are not condoned “whatever the reason.”
Tanith has been a prominent figure in the campaign to stop tree removals in the Park Lands, and her comments after the hearing suggest she may continue protesting despite the legal risks.
#Adelaide #Environment #Protest #Court #SouthAustralia
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