Extinction Rebellion protestors rallied by the hundreds at Melbourne CBD’s Flinders Street Station on March 16 to make a stand for climate action, with tens of them being arrested by police for the sit-in protest.
Saturday’s protest at the station came as the epic conclusion of a week’s worth of build-up for the protest group, who marched through the streets of the city’s CBD on Saturday.
The goal of the week of protests was to raise awareness of the importance of strong action on climate change, and demand the government do more.
Approximately 300 people turned up to the march, which ended with a portion of the protestors sitting in a circle on the intersection outside the station at around 4pm.
The result of this sit-in was that it caused delays to traffic, both for cars and trams.
However the delays did not last long.
Shortly after the sit-in protest began, police arrived and began arresting the protestors for obstruction of a road.
According to police, 32 individuals were arrested, and 27 of them will be charged.
Police arrested the seated protestors one by one.
Some members of the sitting circle will also receive additional charges for obstructing police, due to how when they were arrested they had to be carried away by police.
When one woman being carried away by police was asked if she was concerned about being charged for the sit-in she responded: “I’m worried about the future for all the children in my life.”
After the arrests took place, the 300 or so protestors marched back towards where the rally had begun in Treasury Gardens.
The Extinction Rebellion has developed a reputation for grand public displays to non-violently protest that more action needs to be taken on climate change, or else humans will go extinct.
