The Northern Territory Police Force and The Northern Territory Fire and Rescue Service (NTFRS) responded to protest activity in Alice Springs yesterday.

Around 4:45am on Thursday morning, police were notified that protesters were blocking Hatt Road, south of Alice Springs. It is alleged up to thirty people were in attendance and had blocked road access to Pine Gap. Two of the protestors, aged 38 and 40, had locked themselves to 44-gallon drums filled with cement.

A number of vessels were also being used to block the road.

Members from the Territory Safety Division, Social Order, and general duties attended and were required to close the road to traffic for safety reasons.

NTFRS members utilised specialist equipment to safely remove the protestors from the drums, and they were arrested. Both were charged with Fail to cease to loiter and will appear in court on 13 November 2025.

Southern Commander James Gray-Spence said, “NT Police have always respected the right to protest lawfully.

“However, we do not support protest activities involving unlawful conduct including intentionally obstructing public roads that deprives the Alice Springs community of multiple police and fire crews who should be combatting domestic violence, property crime, and other emergencies."