Ian Cohen,nuclear protester,takes a bow
An anti-nuclear protester on a yellow surfboard attempted to steal the limelight during yesterday’s celebrations for the Australian Navy’s 75th anniversary by grabbing the bow of the USS Oldendorf for a five-minute ride.
“Ian Cohen hangs on to the bow of the USS Oldendorf in the harbour yesterday.”Robert Pearce
Mr Ian Cohen,35,of Broken Bay,had paddled through a tight net of police and volunteer patrol craft to make his protest as the American destroyer sailed through Sydney Harbour with 40 other warships from the US,Canada,UK and Australia.
After losing his grip on USS Oldendorf,Mr Cohen climbed on board a barge manned by fellow protesters from the North Coast Peace Squadron. But police cruisers closed in on the barge and Mr Cohen,carrying his board,made a leap for freedom.
He paddled around frantically for a few minutes before being hauled on to a police rubber dinghy. He was arrested and charged with disobeying a direction of the Harbour Master and impeding the free passage of a vessel.
A little more than a week ago,Mr Cohen had clung on to hull of the British light aircraft carrier HMAS Illustrious for five minutes as it sailed into Brisbane.
“I use the rides to create theatre so people take note of our protest,” Mr Cohen,who was released on bail,said last night.
“It is not as dangerous as people think. It is a little like grabbing hold of a slow-moving building. The worse part is being buffeted by the wake before I manage to get a grip.”
Another view of Cohen on the bow of the USS Oldendorf.Robert Pearce
A former history and English high school teacher,Mr Cohen said he now works as a full-time volunteer for conservation groups. He is an experienced surfboard rider.
The USS Oldendorf was one of the main targets in the fleet for yesterday’s protesters. It was one of the six vessels capable of carrying nuclear weapons.
The expected clash between police and protesters turned out to be rather an anti-climax,with only three protesters arrested.
Captain Peter Woodhead,who steered the British aircraft carrier Illustrious into the harbour,said the protest was well-disciplined apart from four men on surfboards who came dangerously close to the ship.
“One capsized right in front of the bows of the ship and we had to put stern power,” he said. “If the police hadn’t been there to pull him away he could have been seriously injured.”
About 100 protest craft on Sydney Harbour were closely watched by 15 Water Police launches and runabouts assisted by 34 craft from the Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol,Maritime Services Board,Naval Police and the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard.
About 200 protesters kept a loud and vigorous vigil at Mrs Macquarie’s Chair for most of the day.
The crowd held up various anti-nuclear banners in the stiff breeze and intermittent rain,singing songs and yelling slogans as the ships came in to dock at Garden Island.
One of Herald photographer Robert Pearce’s images of Ian Cohen clinging to the bow of the USS Oldendorf was the winning entry in the Rothmans 1987 National Press Photo Awards. In 1995,Ian Cohen became the first Greens member of the NSW Parliament.