A man has faced court following his five-hour protest on a Queensland coal train, which cost the freight company $1.3 million.

April 20, 2019

An anti-coal activist, who’s five-hour protest on a Queensland coal train cost the freight company Aurizon $1.3 million, has fronted court.

Jaxom Kerlin, 18, was granted bail in the Brisbane Magistrate’s Court on Saturday after he stopped the moving coal train and climbed onto a carriage in Brisbane earlier in the week.

The court heard his actions held up five coal trains travelling to the Port of Brisbane for 14 hours at a cost of $90,000 per hour.

Another three trains were cancelled, with the total cost to the freight company, Aurizon, likely to be about $1.3 million, police prosecutor Senior Sergeant Bill Heasley said.

Kerlin was charged with obstructing a railway, trespass and obstructing police after he was coaxed from the carriage by officers about 7.45pm on Thursday.

His protest began about 2.30pm when a group of activists stepped onto the tracks near the port at Wynnum.

The driver was forced to apply the emergency brakes to stop the moving train from hitting the protestors.

Kerlin was the only activist to climb up onto the train.

He was granted bail by Magistrate Walt Ehrich on condition he not engage in any protests and report to police twice per week.

Outside court, about a dozen climate and anti-coal protestors gathered to support Kerlin.

One protestor brandishing a banner saying “climate emergency” was arrested by police.

The woman attempted to display the banner in front of TV cameras filming the family of a man accused of murdering Dr Luping Zeng as they left court.

Kerlin is due to reappear in the same court on May 1.