Climate change activists to use techniques from Hong Kong as protests continue
Climate change activists across Australia are mimicking disruption techniques used in Hong Kong, such as $40 bike locks around their necks.
National
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A week of climate change “rebellion” will continue across the globe as activists in Australia mimic techniques used during the Hong Kong protests.
The Extinction Rebellion movement has planned for “massive disruption” from Monday to Sunday including marches and other protests aimed at blocking traffic.
Elderly people and men in suits were seen being dragged through Broadway, Sydney, yesterday as crowds blocked the busy arterial road headed out of the city.
Police arrested 30 people in the CBD over alleged offences including obstructing traffic to disobeying reasonable direction.
Here's some of the people arrested in Australia today, fighting for climate justice. School kids are begging for help & our grandparents are being dragged away by police. It's time to stand up. We are the people we've been waiting for https://t.co/LfdOCONaPH #ExtinctionRebellion pic.twitter.com/yvWhN7BHUR
— Luke Buckmaster (@lukebuckmaster) October 7, 2019
Further north, in Brisbane, protesters met in a warehouse and practised using bike locks around their necks to chain themselves to barricades on major thoroughfares such as Eagle St.
“We’re going to try out what’s been happening in Hong Kong,” Extinction Rebellion organiser Tom Howell told ABC 7.30 on Monday night.
“They cable tie street barricades together.
“You can go and get a $40 bike lock, this is a really accessible thing.”
Protests will be held in the Brisbane CBD each morning from 7.30am to disrupt traffic and conclude on Friday morning with a sit-in occupation of William Jolly Bridge.
At least six people were arrested on Monday after attaching themselves to large wooden boxes dropped in the middle of the road.
The week’s events got off to a relaxed start in Melbourne with about 20 people attending a day-long meditation session on the steps of Victoria’s parliament. About 100 people were at the movement’s base camp at Carlton Gardens, where some people discussed the group’s values.
In Canberra, nearly 300 people marched across Commonwealth Bridge on Monday morning, blocking traffic.
Resources Minister Matt Canavan told ABC 7.30 on Monday night the government won’t succumb to what he said was effectively “blackmail”.
“So that any particular group with a handful of members should somehow be able to dictate to an elected government what should happen because otherwise they’ll do certain things,” he said.
“Well, of course, we’re not going to succumb to such ridiculous threats.”
broadway, sydney #RebelForLife pic.twitter.com/l7bR9acKLX
— Scott Ludlam (@Scottludlam) October 7, 2019
Former Greens senator Scott Ludlam was among the dozens arrested in Sydney on Monday.
“Our government has catastrophically failed all of us,” Mr Ludlam said as he was led away by officers.
Extinction Rebellion activists have planned to shut down capital cities around the world — blocking roads, bridges, transport links and more — to demand urgent government action to address the climate and ecological emergency.
It also wants them to prevent biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025 and let the public drive decisions on climate change through a citizens’ assembly.
— with AAP
Originally published as Climate change activists to use techniques from Hong Kong as protests continue