AAP
Climate protesters are using a hire truck to block three lanes of a major Melbourne bridge, causing traffic chaos during peak hour.
Extinction Rebellion members parked the truck, climbed on top of it an unfurled banners reading, “declare a climate emergency” and “climate breakdown has begun” about 7.45am on Tuesday, March 5.
VicRoads warns it has closed three lanes on the city-bound side of the bridge and delays stretching back about 30km.
Police are on scene at the protest in Spotswood and said three people climbed on top of the truck before lighting a flare.
VicTraffic took to X, formally known as Twitter, to announce that delays went back to Hoppers Crossing on the Princes Freeway, and the Deer Park Bypass on the M80 Ring Road.
In a livestream video posted to the group’s Facebook page, three protesters appeared on top of the truck and called for government action on climate change.
“This is a climate and ecological emergency and our actions every day impact the habitability of our planet for ourselves and for generations to come,” activist Violet CoCo said.
“We’re here because we care a whole awful lot.
“We’re extremely committed to non-violent direction action but we are committed to sounding the alarm on the climate and ecological emergency.
“We are asking the government and all levels of society to declare an ecological emergency and to act on that emergency as soon as possible.”
The group said in a social media post the protest was designed to coincide with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit in Melbourne.
It wants Australia to declare a climate and ecological emergency at the conference and is calling on other ASEAN leaders to do the same.
