26022025 photo DAVID UNWIN / THE POST Restore Passenger Rail protestors appear in Wellington District Court. Defendants from left Te Wehi Heketoro Ratana, 29, Andrew Gerald Sutherland, 64, Michael Reginald Apathy, 44, Thomas Brydone Taptiklis, 44. Photo: The Post/David Unwin
The jury has not yet reached a verdict in a trial of Restore Passenger Rail protesters in Wellington District Court.
Four members of the group have pleaded not guilty to charges of endangering transport during protests against climate change in October 2022.
The charges carry a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.
Two protesters from the Restore Passenger Rail group have abseiled down the Hataitai side of the Mt Victoria Tunnel in Wellington and hung a sign saying 'Restore passenger rail'. Photo: RNZ / Kate Green
The Crown says the protesters created unreasonable risk for themselves and others when hanging banners above Wellington's motorways.
The defence argues the level of the risk has been overstated and is far outweighed by the much greater, existential threat of the climate crisis.
The jury will resume its deliberations Friday morning.
