Climate protesters block major routes into Melbourne, Brisbane

Climate protesters bring chaos to Melbourne and Brisbane for a fourth day, blocking major routes.

Activists attached to a catamaran in Brisbane’s CBD. Picture; AAP.

Extinction Rebellion protesters have brought chaos to Melbourne and Brisbane for a fourth day, chaining themselves to structures and blocking major routes during the busy morning peak on Thursday.

Spencer Street in Melbourne was shut down outside Southern Cross station as a group of protesters chained themselves to one another and lay in the middle of the road, while others super-glued themselves to King St bridge.

The King St Bridge protest is escalating with police arresting at least three protesters who were super glued to the road. Picture: Remy Varga

The Melbourne protests have come to an end with at least 15 activists arrested.

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Protesters who blocked the Spencer St and Collins St intersection by attaching pipes to their arms as well as another group who super glued themselves to the road on King St bridge have been removed.

Police used a solvent to remove the adhesive from the protesters before they were carried off with dozens officers included the mounted police attending.

The crowd cheered and yelled “you’re a climate hero” as protesters were carried off and loaded into a prisoner transportation van.

The next event will take place at 12.30pm at Carlton Gardens and will be talks introducing the group.

Protesters block the road in Collins St, Melbourne. Picture Twitter.

Trams and traffic were halted while police arrived at the CBD intersection with power tools to cut off metal devices chaining the protesters together.

Meanwhile, protesters at King St Bridge sang “climate, climate justice” to the tune of iconic Queen song We Will Rock You.

The protest at Melbourne’s King St Bridge is heating up with three arrests made pic.twitter.com/2Cz4pw5TTX

— Remy Varga (@RemyVarga) October 9, 2019

Milly, who only wanted to be known by her first name, denied the protesters wanted to be arrested.

“I think you need to look at any movements in the past where there has been arrests like the civil rights movement [or] the suffragettes,” she told The Australian at King St Bridge.

“We’re not going out to get arrested, it’s not a fun cool thing to do. We’re actually being oppressed by a system that doesn’t want us to have a future.”

The student said Extinction Rebellion protesters were forced into disrupting the city through civil disobedience by government and corporate inaction on climate change.

Protesters superglue themselves to King's Bridge in Melbourne. Picture: Twitter.

Spokeswoman Natalie Acreman, 23, said she was proud after the group managed to block trams and traffic, which caused chaos in Melbourne’s CBD.

“We managed to ground the city to a halt,” she said. “One of the major entrances to the city was blocked for two hours onward and at the same time there was another group also blocking an intersection.

“This is what Extinction Rebellion is all about: Disrupting business as usual to bring attention to the need to take climate action.”

Ms Acreman said she wasn’t sure of the total number of activists arrested but said it was definitely “double digits” and that there were “thousands” of people in Melbourne involved in Extinction Rebellion’s protests this week.

Chaos again in Brisbane

Brisbane’s CBD has also been thrown into peak-hour commuter chaos with climate activists chaining themselves to a catamaran that is blocking the major intersection between George and Elizabeth streets.

Police, some with face masks, are preparing to remove Extinction Rebellion protestors who have secured their arms onto a large pink boat in the middle of George and Elizabeth Sts in Brisbane CBD @abcbrisbane Traffic still flowing relatively freely. @abcnews pic.twitter.com/SVIwiMYSOo

— Anna Hartley (@Anna_Hartley1) October 9, 2019

Police have started to remove the activists from the boat, and are attempting to remove the lock-on devices. Authorities are now advising of more protest activity at South Bank, at the intersection of Grey and Russell streets.

CBD PROTEST ROAD CLOSURES:
- George St: northbound between Margaret St and Elizabeth St
- Northbound exit to Elizabeth St from the Riverside Expressway
- Grey St northbound before Russell St, South Brisbane#RACQTrafficAdvice https://t.co/192hkvf7KX

— RACQ (@RACQOfficial) October 9, 2019

Queensland’s traffic metro service has confirmed there is a police incident causing heavy traffic which is also affecting some bus services.

The Elizabeth Street exit from the Riverside Expressway into the CBD closed and no left turn available from Margaret Street into George Street. Those heading northbound are urged to use the Turbot or Margaret Street exits.

Extinction Rebellion’s Eric Herbert has locked himself onto a car parked on the footpath outside 1 William St. The 20-year-old was ordered to do community service by the court earlier this week for breaching his bail, which prohibits him from visiting Brisbane CBD @abcbrisbane pic.twitter.com/5x1wwm6fQc

— Anna Hartley (@Anna_Hartley1) October 9, 2019

It comes just 24 hours after Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said her government would take tougher action on protesters, saying she was determined to fast-track laws to jail protesters for up to two years if they use “dangerous devices” such as drums with concrete, chains and locks.

One of three Extinction Rebellion surprise protests happening right now in Melbourne. First use of lock on devices for @XRebellionAus in Victoria. pic.twitter.com/tB6BpyeVcW

— Rose Powell (@rosepowell) October 9, 2019

The proposed laws would also give Queensland Police increased powers to search people for such devices.

“I say to protesters … ‘what if it was your mother or grandmother that was held up from getting to hospital because of your actions, blocking streets?’,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“It’s time to get these laws passed. We will bypass the normal submissions period and get them promulgated within days.”