Extinction Rebellion protesters glued their feet to the road in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD this morning, causing major traffic delays for morning commuters.
Key points:
- About two dozen protesters gathered, including eight who glued themselves to the road
- They called for immediate action on climate change, ahead of the UN Glasgow summit
- Police attended the scene and peak-hour traffic was significantly disrupted
Police attended the scene at Victoria Square, at the intersection of King William and Grote streets, outside courts and other major buildings in the centre of the city.
Eight protesters were later arrested by police.
One said members of the group were “glued or chained to be irremovable, symbolising how resolute they are”.
“Attached to prams that symbolise the future of our children are parents, grandparents,” another said.
The rally has been timed to coincide with the lead-up to the UN Climate Change Conference, COP26, which begins in Glasgow on October 31.
About two dozen protesters were involved, holding placards reading “Climate Crisis” and “Code Red”.
“It’s a code red. It’s about taking action immediately,” one protester said.
COP26 is widely regarded as the most important climate meeting since the 2015 conference that led to the adoption of the Paris Agreement.
While Prime Minister Scott Morrison is expected to commit Australia to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, some members of the Nationals are resisting the move.
Irate drivers honked their horns at the group as they blocked the intersection, but the movement of trams and pedestrians was not impeded by the demonstration.
“The reality is we’ve got eight people here willing to sacrifice their civil liberties for the planet,” one protester said.
Gridlocked traffic stretched hundreds of metres, with one delivery driver on his way to work saying he was waiting for “too bloody long”.
“I wish they were extinct,” another said.
The surprise sit-in began at 8:00am this morning and one of the organisers said police had since issued fines to all of those holding banners.
The event ended about three hours later, after police carefully detached protesters’ hands and feet from the bitumen.
The eight arrested protesters, seven female and one male, were aged between 44 and 74 years old.
They were charged with obstructing the path of drivers.
Another 10 protesters were fined.
In March, the activist group released smoke flares and members glued themselves to the road outside the head office of oil and gas company Santos in Adelaide’s Flinders Street.
The group also spray-painted words on the office building.
Earlier this morning, there were also lengthy traffic delays on the South Eastern Freeway caused by a crash.
A four-wheel drive collided with a truck and then hit a tree near Bridgewater about 7:30am.
One person was taken to the Royal Adelaide Hospital, but no serious injuries were reported.
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