In pictures: Climate protesters block streets around world

Thousands of climate activists take to streets of cities around the world, launching two weeks of peaceful civil disobedience, coordinated by Extinction Rebellion, to demand immediate action to cut carbon emissions and avert an ecological disaster.

Protesters covered in fake blood gather around the Wall Street Bull during an "Extinction Rebellion" demonstration in New York on October 7, 2019.
AFP

Protesters covered in fake blood gather around the Wall Street Bull during an "Extinction Rebellion" demonstration in New York on October 7, 2019.

Thousands of climate activists took to the streets of cities around the world on Monday, launching two weeks of peaceful civil disobedience to demand immediate action to cut carbon emissions and avert an ecological disaster.

In London, police arrested 135 activists from the Extinction Rebellion group as they blocked bridges and roads in the city centre, and glued themselves to cars, while protesters in Berlin halted traffic at the Victory Column roundabout.

Dutch police stepped in to arrest more than 100 climate change activists blocking a street in front of the country's national museum and there were similar protests in Austria, Spain, New Zealand, and Australia.

"Sorry that we blocked the road, but this is an emergency," declared placards held by activists in Amsterdam.

The protests are part of an international two-week campaign coordinated by Extinction Rebellion, a campaign group that rose to prominence in April when it disrupted traffic in central London for 11 days.

They are the latest in a string of demonstrations against climate change.

Extinction Rebellion says it expects peaceful protests over the next two weeks in more than 60 cities from New Delhi to New York, to call on governments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2025 and halt a loss of biodiversity.

Reuters

Climate change activists protest at the Wall Street Bull in Lower Manhattan during Extinction Rebellion protests in New York City, New York, US, October 7, 2019.

Reuters

Police clear Potsdamer Platz as climate activists from Extinction Rebellion launch a new wave of "civil disobedience" in Berlin, Germany, October 7, 2019.

Reuters

Police officers pull out a climate change activist as activists block a road during the Extinction Rebellion protest in Vienna, Austria, October 7, 2019.

Reuters

"The Red Brigade" activists gesture in front of police officers during the Extinction Rebellion protest in London, Britain, October 7, 2019.

AFP

A woman sits on a high hammock as protesters block the road with hay bales and signs during a demonstration called by climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion, on October 7, 2019 near the Place du Chatelet in Paris.

AFP

A woman takes part in a Global Extinction Rebellion Spring Tide demonstration camp against the causes of climate change in front of the Ministry of Ecological Transition in Madrid, on October 7, 2019.

Route 6