Brisbane protest: George Street blocked by protesters with arms in barrels and a trailer
Nearly 30 climate protesters aged 19 to 75 will appear in Brisbane court folling the second day of Extinction Rebellion’s spring rebellion week.
QLD News
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TWENTY-nine people have been arrested on the second day of Extinction Rebellion climate change protests in Brisbane’s CBD.
The accused, aged 19 to 75, will appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court from tomorrow on charges including being a pedestrian on a roadway causing an obstruction, obstructing police and contravening a police direction or requirement.
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A man who allegedly hung from the Story Bridge was taken into custrody about 11.30am and later charged with unregulated high-risk activity.
Protesters were charged over other incidents, including the dumping of barrels containing concrete and other objects at the intersection of Ann and George streets, and a boat trailer blocking a roadway between George, Turbot and Ann streets.
HOW IT UNFOLDED THIS MORNING:
ABOUT a dozen Extinction Rebellion protesters have been arrested after multiple emergency service crews worked to clear George St after several protesters blocked the road causing traffic and congestion in Brisbane CBD this morning.
There were reportedly three protesters who locked themselves to a barrel on the corner of Ann and George St while five protesters locked themselves to a boat trailer on George St.
More protesters were reportedly arrested near Turbot St.
Police have removed a protester who still has his arm locked to a barrel into the back of a ute.
Two lanes are now open on George St between Ann and Turbot streets.
Traffic was affected on a number of approach roads to the CBD, including Ann Street, Coronation Drive, the Inner City Bypass and the Pacific Motorway.
A crowd remains on the corner of George and Ann St chanting “tell me what democracy looks like, this is what democracy looks like”.
The group continues to chant for climate justice and how they will fight for it.
Extinction Rebellion media spokeswoman Laura Harland said the protests would continue to disrupt the CBD until the government changed.
The Elizabeth Street and George Street intersection is also blocked by protest action in #Brisbane CBD. Please avoid the area if possible and listen to emergency services #RACQTrafficAdvice pic.twitter.com/J83LV3VngJ
— RACQ (@RACQOfficial) October 7, 2019
“This morning we had three protesters locked onto concrete drums and further up locked onto a boat,” she said.
“We are a decentralised movement...safety is our top priority.
“We won’t stop until our four demands are met.”
The group says they are looking at new tactics and compared the actions today to women fighting for the right to vote.
#4 #BrisbaneCity Approaches to the CBD are congested including Story Bridge, Ann St, Coronation Dr, the Inner City Bypass and the Pacific Mwy avoid if you can #bnetraffic
— QLDTrafficMetro (@QLDTrafficMetro) October 7, 2019
The protest adds to the situation at the Story Bridge, were a man is suspended beneath the road carriageway in a hammock, saying he has enough resources to stay there “for a few days”.
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