Police say their presence at coal stockpiles in Newcastle early this morning was warranted after Greenpeace and other protestors chose the huge stockpile to send a message to the Commonwealth Bank.
Protestors took aim at the bank, unfurling a banner which read "COMM BANKS COAL KILLS" after discovering the bank loaned $310 million to the port in 2014.
It's everyone's democratic right to protest, and police agree, but only while it stays within the rules of the law which wasn't the case in Newcastle this morning.
"Certainly lawful protests and peaceful protest is a democratic right and we certainly support that - it only becomes an issue when there is unlawful conduct such as going to someone else's place, or you know attacking vehicles or any other sort of criminal conduct," said Chief Inspector Trevor Shields.
Chief Inspector Trevor Shields says the arrests police made were warranted since they had trespassed on land.
