Showbiz

Bob Irwin arrested at environmental protest

Published Wednesday, Apr 13 2011, 05:59 BST | By Rebecca Davies | Add comment

Bob Irwin has been arrested at a protest.

The Australian wildlife campaigner, who is the father of the late 'Crocodile Hunter' Steve, was fighting against the coal seam gas industry in southern Queensland.

According to AAP, landholders and environmentalists have been protesting at the Tara Estate since last month to try and stop a state energy company from building a 16km pipeline to take coal seam gas from five wells on the estate to a nearby plant.

It is believed that the move will be risky for human health, contaminate water and cause land values to drop.

Queensland MO Aidan McLindon confirmed that Irwin was taken to Chinchilla police station to be interviewed by detectives.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that he has since been released and charged with ignoring police orders to remove himself from a road blockade.

In May last year, Irwin revealed that he felt "sad" that Steve's children Bindi and Robert did not visit him in hospital after he had a heart attack. He said that he believed it was due to an unresolved rift with daughter-in-law Terri.

Steve Irwin died in September 2006 after a stingray pierced his heart with its barb.