SYDNEY, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Coordinated animal rights protests by vegans in Australia have caused major traffic disruptions in Melbourne on Monday, with vans and demonstrators blocking the roads outside the city's largest intersection at Flinders Street station during morning peak hour.
As a result, authorities warned commuters travelling to work to expect severe delays.
“A protest currently underway in the CBD has the Flinders Street Swanston Street intersection blocked,” VicTraffic posted to social media platform Twitter.
“Victoria [State] Police are currently on-site. Allow extra time.”
According to local media reports, at least one person was arrested at the scene in Melbourne, while in the State of New South Wales, police confirmed that nine people were arrested after chaining themselves to machinery at an abattoir.
In Sydney, Brisbane and Hobart, similar protests are also expected to take place later Monday.
While the organizer of the coordinated protests, Kristen Leigh, told Channel 9 News “this is a peaceful protest,” she also added that “drastic times call for drastic measures.”
When asked about the matter on local radio station 2GB Monday morning, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison slammed the actions of the protesters calling their demonstrations “shameful” and “un-Australian.”
“This is just another form of activism that I think runs against the national interest, and the national interest is being able to farm their own land,” he said.
Victorian Police are currently monitoring the protest to ensure there are no further breaches of the peace.
