Woman, 62, is knocked over by a man on a horse at an anti-Adani protest, while firecrackers and stones were thrown at the same protest

  • An anti-Adani activist was taken to hospital after being hit by the horse
  • Police are interviewing the horse rider who's believed to be pro-Adani protester
  • The incident took place at a rally in Clermont Showgrounds in QLD on Sunday
  • On Saturday there's reports firecrackers and stones were thrown by pro-Adani

A woman has been hit by a horse at an anti-Adani rally as tensions between protesters who are for and against the controversial mine reached boiling point on Sunday. 

The 62-year-old suffered back injuries after being hit by a horse ridden by pro-Adani protester in Clermont, in QLD, at about 3.40pm.

Witnesses say the man galloped into the showground on the horse before charging into a crowd of people, according to The Age.   

Police say the woman was in shock and has been taken to hospital in a stable condition.

The man riding the horse - who is believed to be a supporter of the controversial mine - was arrested.

Anti-Adani convoy member Liz Cameron described the incident as 'confronting,' and said the man galloped away while a large group of people chased him. 

A woman in her 50s or 60s has been hit by a horse at an anti-Adani rally as tensions between protesters who are for and against the controversial mine reached boiling point on Sunday

A woman in her 50s or 60s has been hit by a horse at an anti-Adani rally as tensions between protesters who are for and against the controversial mine reached boiling point on Sunday

Former Greens leader and leader of the convoy Bob Brown said the man on the horse was yelling and waving his hat.

'There was a loud yahoo and this man rode between the crowd and the stage and coming out the gates knocked down a lady against the gates,' he said.

The injured woman and her husband are from northern New South Wales and were part of the anti-Adani convoy. 

Witnesses say the man galloped into the showground on the horse before charging into a crowd of people

Witnesses say the man galloped into the showground on the horse before charging into a crowd of people

Up until the incident, Sunday's separate rallies had been peaceful, but came aftera tense Saturday afternoon.

Hundreds of activists protesting against the Adani mine were greeted by jeering Clermont residents lining the main street of the town. 

Anti-Adani protesters were warned the convoy would be met with hostility, with Clermont's three pubs agreeing not to serve them. 

The incident comes amid growing tensions between pro- and anti-Adani protesters, after a green convoy rolled into Clermont in Queensland - the town closest to the controversial coal mine project

The incident comes amid growing tensions between pro- and anti-Adani protesters, after a green convoy rolled into Clermont in Queensland - the town closest to the controversial coal mine project

Former Greens leader and leader of the anti-Adani convoy Bob Brown (pictured) said the man on the horse was yelling and waving his hat, and was part of the pro-Adani residents who heckled activists

Former Greens leader and leader of the anti-Adani convoy Bob Brown (pictured) said the man on the horse was yelling and waving his hat, and was part of the pro-Adani residents who heckled activists 

A sign hung from a hotel read, 'go home and turn off your power and walk'. 

On Saturday evening, there was reports of firecrackers and rocks being thrown at the anti-Adani protesters, as tensions boiled between the opposing groups.  

Pro-Adani campaigners, unions and organisations were seen shouting, swearing and waving signs at the anti-Adani group.  

The rallies and protests at Clermont Showgrounds  started with traditional dancing for the crowd of hundreds of activists

 The rallies and protests at Clermont Showgrounds  started with traditional dancing for the crowd of hundreds of activists 

One woman said a man wielding a long metal bar swung it at her windscreen. 

There's claims from the Bob Brown Foundation that on Saturday night, cars had rocks thrown at them, and young families in cars were abused and threatened and had flags ripped from vehicles. 

'There was no gunshots, it was firecrackers, they were supposed to sound like gunshots,' Mr Brown told the Courier Mail.

'Like so much in the pro-Adani crowd, it was fake.'

Tensions between pro-Adani locals and anti-Adani activists reached boiling point on Sunday, after a woman was taken to hospital at a rally after being hit by a man on a horse

Tensions between pro-Adani locals and anti-Adani activists reached boiling point on Sunday, after a woman was taken to hospital at a rally after being hit by a man on a horse

No one was injured during Saturday's protests. 

Pro-Adani politicians Clive Palmer and Pauline Hanson spoke at Saturday's rally, before the 400-strong crowd of anti-mine activists rolled into the town.

Hundreds of pro-Adani residents and unions were overjoyed as the politicians declared their support for the mine. 

Hundreds of activists against the Adani mine were greeted by jeering Clermont residents lining the main street of Clermont on Saturday

Hundreds of activists against the Adani mine were greeted by jeering Clermont residents lining the main street of Clermont on Saturday

If the Adani Coal Mine gets underway, it will dig the biggest coal mine in Australia's history, and will be one of the biggest coal mines in the world. 

Adani would have grave environmental effects on not only the Great Barrier Reef, but on the atmosphere.

More than 4.6 billion tonnes of carbon pollution will be pumped into our atmosphere, while the mine will also risk damage to aquifers of the Great Artesian Basin.

Beyond the environmental impacts, the mine will also destroy ancestral lands, waters and cultures of Indigenous people - without their consent.

Pro-Adani politicians Clive Palmer and Pauline Hanson spoke at Saturday's rally, before the 400-strong crowd of anti-mine activists rolled into the town

Pro-Adani politicians Clive Palmer and Pauline Hanson spoke at Saturday's rally, before the 400-strong crowd of anti-mine activists rolled into the town

However, those for the creation of the mine say residents and local businesses depend on mines and cannot exist without these jobs.

'The whole town depends on mining. We are the silent minority and people only hear about the local majority,' Grand Hotel Motel publican Kelvin Appleton told Daily Mail Australia.

The $1million coal mine in the Galilee Basin is expected to create more than 1,500 jobs for the rail and coal mine construction.

Local resident Carol Elly told The Age that Clermont and surrounding towns would collapse if the mine didn't go ahead.  

'It's not just Clermont, it's all the little mining towns around that get the benefit of it, the jobs and the money in the town,' she said on Saturday.

Pro-Adani protesters warned the convoy would be met with hostility, with Clermont's three pubs agreeing not to serve them

Pro-Adani protesters warned the convoy would be met with hostility, with Clermont's three pubs agreeing not to serve them


 


  

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Woman knocked over by a man on a horse at an anti-Adani protest while firecrackers and stones thrown

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