OTTAWA, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Climate change protesters of "Extinction Rebellion Canada" held on Monday a series of demonstrations to block traffic in the country's main cities for non-carbon emissions, CTV reported.
Protesters disrupted rush-hour traffic, affecting thousands of people in Halifax, Toronto, Edmonton, Kitchener, Victoria and Vancouver.
The demonstrators, known as XR, seek to draw attention to the "climate emergency," demanding that the Canadian federal government and the provincial government bring in policies that will see the country's carbon emissions reduced to "net zero" by 2025.
Echoing protests around the world, the demonstrators blocked some of Canada's busiest bridges on Monday, including the Macdonald Bridge over Halifax Harbour, the Burrard Street Bridge in Vancouver and the Prince Edward Viaduct in Toronto, by lying down or sitting in traffic lanes.
More than a dozen protesters were arrested in Halifax and fist fights reportedly broke out.
Halifax police said they arrested 18 protesters under the Protection of Property Act Monday noon after they closed the Macdonald Bridge for more than three hours. About 40,000 vehicles pass the bridge daily.
In downtown Toronto, dozens of protesters prevented motor vehicles from crossing the Bloor Viaduct Bridge on Monday morning. Several protesters were placed in handcuffs and led away from the scene.
In Edmonton, XR protesters linked arms to block the Walterdale Bridge Monday morning to demand action on climate change.
Police in Victoria were prepared for another XR protest at the Johnson Street Bridge. The protesters said they would close the Johnson Street Bridge to traffic from 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday (2230 GMT Monday to 0200 GMT Tuesday). Enditem
