West Australian counter-terrorism police were waiting for "extremist" climate activists when they arrived to protest at the Woodside Energy boss's family home.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Disrupt Burrup Hub says about a dozen officers intercepted three members of the group at chief executive Meg O'Neill's Perth home about 6.45 am on Tuesday.
The group said its members, who were taken into custody and charged, had intended to protest peacefully.
But Ms O'Neill said the trio had illegally trespassed onto her property with a camera crew to intimidate her.
"This was not a 'harmless' protest," she said in a statement.
"It was designed to threaten me, my partner and our daughter in our home.
"Such acts by extremists should be condemned by anyone who respects the law and believes people should be safe to go about their business at home and at work."
Disrupt Burrup Hub said police also raided the homes of two others allegedly associated with the protest, arresting them and seizing electronic devices.
"Today's events clearly demonstrate that WA Police are acting as private security for Woodside," a spokeswoman for the group said.
"It is deeply troubling that a dozen WA Police officers were present ahead of an unpublicised, peaceful climate protest."
Three men, aged 21, 31, 34, and a 19-year-old woman have since been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit and indictable offence.
Disrupt Burrup Hub said three remain in police custody.
Woodside described the incident as an unacceptable escalation of the activist group's protesting and said it was designed to threaten and intimidate.
It said the group, understood to be Disrupt Burrup Hub, had no interest in engaging in "respectful and constructive debate" about Woodside's activities.
"Illegal protest activity like this only serves to distract from the real work being undertaken to achieve decarbonisation," a spokesman said.
The Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA) also condemned the protest, saying the activists' actions were menacing and threatening.
It said the industry respected activists' right to demonstrate legally in public places and business leaders' private homes and families were out of bounds.
"This is a deplorable escalation of the intimidation and tactics used by activist groups to stifle informed public debate on the energy transition," chief executive Samantha McCulloch said.
The protest comes a day after a magistrate rejected a police application for an order to stop some of the group's members communicating while on bail for charges related to other protests that targeted Woodside.
The Burrup Peninsula, located in Western Australia's Pilbara region and known as Murujuga to traditional owners, contains the world's largest and oldest collection of petroglyphs.
Disrupt Burrup Hub claims Woodside's operations in the area and its proposed expansion are the biggest new fossil fuel project in the country and could produce billion of tonnes of carbon dioxide by 2070.
It has carried out a series of actions against Woodside this year, including releasing stench gas at its Perth headquarter in June, forcing the evacuation of about 2000 staff members.
Woodside responded last week through its lawyers, who sent a letter to a Disrupt Burrup Hub campaigner and said the company wants to start civil court action against members of the group.
The 31 and 34-year-olds are scheduled to appear in Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old man is due to appear in the same court on August 14, followed by the woman a day later.
Australian Associated Press
