Traffic was heavier than usual crossing the Johnson Street Bridge Monday evening.
A local environmental group blocked rush-hour traffic on the bridge for a sit-in and vigil, protesting the causes of climate change.
The bridge was closed for about two and a half hours
A Facebook group created for the event said protesters planned to block traffic on the bridge for 12 minutes, one minute for each of the 12 years they say the world has left to address the climate crisis. The rally was also to include a two minute moment of silence to acknowledge the depth of the climate emergency.
The protest started at Centennial Square with roughly 100 people gathered, listening to speeches, before heading to the Johnson Street Bridge. About 250 people occupied the bridge with a small group of protesters remaining behind. Six protesters stayed on the bridge until the end around 8 p.m., and were arrested.
TheyB次元官网网址檝e made it to the . Officials put down the west gate to keep everyone contained. The sit in should start soon. Bridge access is closed to vehicle traffic
B次元官网网址� Victoria B次元官网网址 (@VictoriaB次元官网网址)
Victoria Police were aware of the groupsB次元官网网址� plan, and worked to minimize the impact to commuters.
The protest group numbering about 250 has departed Centennial Square & are headed towards the Johnson Street Bridge via Pandora Ave. Our officers have reminded them that blocking a highway is not lawful. in the area will be disrupted.
B次元官网网址� Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada)
Activists are preparing to march on the Johnson Street Bridge in protest of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 climate policies. TheyB次元官网网址檒l stage a sit in on the bridge after speeches here at
B次元官网网址� Victoria B次元官网网址 (@VictoriaB次元官网网址)
The sit-in and vigil was organized by a group on Vancouver Island to coincide with the first day of the annual UN climate change conference, happening in Poland this year.
B次元官网网址淭his gathering is in solidarity with people worldwide taking bold action demanding governments transition to a 100 per cent renewable energy future; and with Indigenous frontline communities, from Secwepemc territory to the UnistB次元官网网址檕tB次元官网网址檈n Yintah, holding the line to protect water, land and life and to stop dangerous fossil fuel expansion across unceded homelands,B次元官网网址� the group wrote in a statement on the event.
The group says this was the first action to be taken in a B次元官网网址済raduated-escalation of local, non-violent people-powered direct-action that will continue until dramatic climate action is taken.B次元官网网址�
Participants are calling on the governments of Canada and B.C. to for expanding the Alberta tarsands and continued fracking, and instead reallocate their funding towards green energy projects as part of an aggressive plan to meet UN targets.
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