Violet was involved in a 'disruptive' climate protest. She's been sentenced to 15 months in prison.

Back in April, there were a few hundred drivers crossing the Sydney Harbour Bridge, when traffic suddenly came to a standstill. It was all to do with a certain protest taking place, which blocked one of the bridge's five city-bound lanes during the morning peak. 

The protest itself went for exactly 25 minutes, although it did have long-term effects on traffic for the rest of the day.

Now the woman behind the protest – 32-year-old Deanna "Violet" Coco has been sentenced to 15 months prison.

Coco was protesting against the wider climate plight and the government's action on the issue – protesting under the banner of climate activist group, Fireproof Australia. It's similar to Extinction Rebellion but designed to be "more disruptive".

Explaining her motive behind the protest, Coco said to The Guardian at the time: "We tried protesting to the politicians. We've tried one-day marches. Nothing happened. And so now we need to escalate these disruptive tactics."

So she parked a truck across one lane of the Harbour Bridge, stood on the truck's roof and held a lit flare in her hand. On board the truck with her was her friend, who is a trained and qualified firefighter.

She was then arrested by police, who removed the truck, and traffic resumed its normal morning pace. 

Watch one climate protestor explain why they choose to protest disruptively. Post continues below.

This week, Coco was fined $2,500 for her protest, along with being sentenced to 15 months prison with a non-parole period of eight months for breaching traffic laws by blocking traffic, possessing an orange flare in a public place and resisting police after being asked to move on. Coco will appeal against the sentence, but she was refused bail this week and will remain in custody until her appeal hearing in March.

Coco is the first person to be sentenced to jail time under laws introduced by Premier Dominic Perrottet's NSW Government in April that carry fines of up to $22,000 and jail terms of up to two years for protests on roads, rail lines, tunnels, bridges and industrial estates. They were passed with the support of the Labor party.

Coco's sentencing has been met with confusion from some when considering the outcomes for other legal cases. Namely, when lesser sentences for arguably more serious crimes have been given.

Just recently, a creek running through Sydney's Royal National Park was hit by a coal wastewater spill – it's the third coal pollution incident investigated by the New South Wales Environment Protection Authority this year involving Peabody Energy's Metropolitan mine at Helensburg. So far, little action has been taken.

From a separate perspective, disgraced former football player Ben Cousins was sentenced to seven months for stalking the mother of his two children. He had breached a Family Violence Restraining Order more than 20 times. 

And despite over 430 Indigenous deaths in custody since 1991, no one has ever been convicted. 

The examples could go on and on.

Coco's supporters have since begun a campaign calling for donations to fund her legal costs and appeal, with additional donations being directed to climate emergency activist legal funds.

Attached to the online campaign, Coco then released a personal statement from prison, explaining why she chose to protest.

"In light of the urgency of the situation, I feel I have to do the most effective thing in bringing about political change. History has shown that at times of great crisis, when regular political procedure has proven incapable of enacting justice, it falls to ordinary people to take a stand to bring about change through civil disobedience," she said.

"Civil disobedience in the form of strikes, blockades, marches, and occupations has played a crucial role in the development of democracy, and helped to secure precious rights here and around the world – including women’s suffrage, eight-hour working days, racial legal equality, and environmental protection."

She then noted that she doesn't want to be protesting nor breaking the law – she just wishes there was another way "to address this issue with the gravitas that it deserves".

"Now I am in prison, for engaging in democracy. These unjust laws need to be fought for all of us. Climate action will mean more people peacefully taking to the streets, not fewer, and the authorities should accept that."

Feature Image: Getty/Chuffed.