Vancouver commuters are being warned to expect disruptions Monday, as a group of environmental activists plans to shut down the Burrard Bridge.
Extinction Rebellion says it will engage in an act of “peaceful civil disobedience” beginning at 8:30 a.m. and blocking the bridge for the rest of the day.
“We do not want to cause disruption to people going about their everyday lives, but we have no other choice,” the group said in an open letter.
“Worldwide, hundreds of thousands of people are already being affected by famine, droughts, rising sea levels, flash floods, and increasingly frequent extreme weather events.”
Protesters say they want elected leaders to “tell the truth” about climate change, act immediately, and defer to decisions of a “citizens’ assembly” on climate issues.
Demonstrators are also putting the protest in the context of Indigenous rights, which they say include the right to refuse projects, such as the Trans Mountain pipeline, on their lands.
In its letter, Extinction Rebellion says it is giving advanced notice so that the city can “plan accordingly” for transit and emergency services.
The group said it will also not resist arrest if police step in.
In an email, the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said it is “aware of this planned event” and “monitoring the situation.”
Global News has requested comment from the City of Vancouver.
Extinction Rebellion is planning similar actions across Canada on Monday, including at the MacDonald Bridge in Halifax and the Prince Edward Viaduct in Toronto.
Activists with the same group used a fire truck to spray fake blood at the British Ministry of Finance in London on Thursday in an effort to draw attention to what they say is a looming cataclysm.
Dozens of demonstrators with the same group were also arrested at separate climate protests in Montreal and New York in June.
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