The climate activism group Extinction Rebellion launched a fortnight of global protests this weekend, with demonstrations and acts of civil disobedience set to be held in 60 cities across the world.
The protests began on Saturday when protesters occupied a shopping mall in Paris. That was followed by further demonstrations on Sunday and Monday in London, Berlin, Amsterdam, Sydney and dozens of other cities.
In Berlin, protesters blocked traffic at a busy roundabout near the Tiergarten park, while in Melbourne, Australia, they held a silent vigil on the steps of the state parliament.
But some of the biggest protests are expected in London, where organisers are hoping to mobilise up to 30,000 people.
On Monday morning, demonstrators in the UK capital had blocked bridges and roads in the Westminster area near Britain’s Houses of Parliament. Police said 21 people had been arrested as of Monday morning.
The group hopes to force governments to take urgent action to avert what they say is an imminent climate “apocalypse”.
“We’re here because the government is not doing enough on the climate emergency,” said protester Lizzy Mansfield in London. “We only get one planet and so we're here to try and defend it."
