Police arrested five climate change activists who were blocking intersections in downtown Denver as part of a protest Monday morning.
The five protesters with Extinction Rebellion Denver were arrested for allegedly violating a municipal code banning the obstruction of streets, police spokesman Jay Casillas said. The protesters will be booked and processed at the Denver Downtown Detention Center.
“We do respect people’s right to protest, but we want them to do it safely,” Casillas said.
A few dozen people with the group briefly blocked intersections on South Broadway and Speer Boulevard during rush hour traffic, livestream videos from the group show. They sang protest songs, chanted and marched with a banner that read “Business as usual = Death.”
About a dozen police officers met the group on South Broadway and arrested protesters after telling them to move off the street.
The group, part of a national organization, promotes non-violent civil disobedience to bring attention to climate change, pollution and mass extinction.
“We love the people of Denver but we have to do this!” the group’s Facebook event for the morning protests state.
The group is also planning actions for Monday afternoon.