Extinction Rebellion: Protesters ready to disrupt Brisbane traffic

A Brisbane CBD bridge has been cleared by police just minutes after Extinction Rebellion protesters said they were staging a sit-in “for as long as everyone is willing and able” tocall out Scott Morrison for the Government’s inaction on the recent bushfire crisis.

PROTESTERS have exited the William Jolly Bridge with both sides of the road are now open.

Queensland Police Inspector Tony Ridge said it was a peaceful protest with no arrests made.

‘We hold you both culpable’: Bushfire victims’ letter to Aussie leaders

Scott Morrison says climate change ‘contributed’ to bushfires

Pressure mounts on Scott Morrison to act on climate change as bushfire crisis continues

Both sides of Brisbane’s William Jolly Bridge had been blocked by police as Extinction Rebellion protesters gathered to disrupt Brisbane traffic in response to “government inaction” on the recent bushfire disaster.

The protesters staged a sit-in on the bridge for about 20 minutes after a spokeswoman said they would be there “for as long as everyone is willing and able to”.

The spokeswoman said the group abandoned the sit-in because “people felt that we’d been there long enough to achieve the goal”.

“Today we wanted to create a space in which people felt comfortable to take action and build their confidence in civil disobedience so when I said we would stay as long as it was to do so, I meant for as long as people felt safe and comfortable to be taking that action,” she said.

“We reached a point where we felt we’d been there long enough and as a group collective people felt we were ready to move on.”

Another Extinction Rebellion spokeswoman, Laura Lucardie, 25, she said today’s protest are in response to a lack of government inaction of bushfires.

More than 100 Extinction Rebellion protesters have gathered in South Bank preparing to disrupt Brisbane traffic. Picture: Danielle O'Neal

“We are bringing attention to the direct consequences of climate change, which is the fact Australia is on fire.”

NSW Rural Fire Service volunteer Murray Derschler, 50, said he is fighting fires he has never seen before.

“As a firefighter I am fighting the effects of climate change,” he said.

“As a protester and activist I am fighting the politics of climate change.”

“My message to government is simple: stop, you’re killing us.”

Extinction Rebellion protester Lily Smith. Picture: Danielle O'Neal

XR protester Lily Smith, 23, said she was evacuated from her Wilson Creek property in northern New South Wales in November due to bushfires.

“It solidifies why I’m here,” Ms Smith said.

“And it’s only going to get worse if we don’t act on this crisis.”

Retiree Diane Lane, 64, from Yeronga said Scott Morrison must “wake up” to the impacts of climate change.

“This is what the scientists said would happen for years,” she said.

“Even the old dudes from the fire service said a year ago this was what was going to happen.

“But the government has not acted and so I feel a civic duty to rise up and call for change.”