Police keep peace as climate protesters block major Edmonton bridge

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 07/10/2019 (2535 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

EDMONTON – Alberta’s capital was one of the cities experiencing commuter chaos as climate protesters blocked bridges around the world on Monday.

A handful of people linked arms to block traffic on the Walterdale Bridge, which links the south side of Edmonton with the downtown.

Police kept the peace between protesters and angry drivers, some of whom got out of their cars to yell obscenities. Officers set up a line between the two sides.

The police service said later that a duty officer negotiated with the protesters, who agreed to end the blockade an hour earlier than planned.

No one was arrested, but police said they are investigating and there could still be charges.

Alberta Premier Jason Kenney, criticizing the action on Twitter, noted that traffic backups meant hundreds of cars were idling for no good reason.

The group Extinction Rebellion targeted bridges in 60 cities around the world. Toronto and Halifax were two other Canadian cities on the list. Calgary was planning a “family-friendly” event on Monday afternoon.

“We’re sorry for the inconvenience we’ve caused to motorists, but the government won’t listen unless we disrupt business as usual,” Edmonton organizer Jen Radcliffe said in a release. “Humanity is racing towards a climate catastrophe and our leaders are not acting fast enough to change our course.

“If your commute was delayed today, I hope we prompted you to reflect on what we all stand to lose if we don’t prevent runaway global warming.”

“September’s climate marches showed us that Canadians demand action,” added Chris Gusen, another participant in the protest.

“Politicians and media have acknowledged the crisis, but they are not telling the truth about the enormity of the climate emergency.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 7, 2019.