Anti-uranium protesters shut road

July 8, 2016
Issue 
About 60 anti-uranium protesters blocked the road leading to Olympic Dam in South Australia.

About 60 anti-uranium protesters set up a bonfire in the middle of the road leading to Olympic Dam, in South Australia, stopping all traffic in and out of the BHP Billiton uranium mine for about 19 hours on July 3.

Olympic Way was also closed for about 90 minutes on July 2 as about 200 demonstrators undertook a funeral procession, carrying a black coffin and baskets of animal bones to the gates of Olympic Dam.

The protest was organised by Desert Liberation Front, which opposes toxic waste dumps in Australia and wants BHP Billiton's uranium mine to be closed within two years.

Desert Liberation Front spokesperson Tiago Freire said the event was to highlight the transport of destructive uranium materials.

“It starts with yellow cake and it goes through populated areas and industrial areas where all our people are,” he said. “We can't trust this industry.

“It's not safe for our people, so we're saying stop this radioactive poison on our roads, no mining, no waste. Keep it in the ground.”

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