Antinuclear

Protests organised by the group Extinction Rebellion have been held in most capital cities, including Perth.

About 100 “climate protectors” started at Elizabeth Quay and walked through the city, eventually finishing at Yagan Square.

As promised by the organisers disruption was kept to a minimum and no arrests. In Sydney about 30 people were arrested by police, including some elderly demonstrators and school-age children.

Hundreds of them blocked a major street near Central Station forcing police to remove some of them.

Several handcuffed themselves to a water tank to frustrate police.

In Brisbane several people were detained by police as several hundred marked through the centre of the city.

They stopped at a number of intersections along the way deliberately blocking traffic for long periods.

In Melbourne a big climate change rally is getting underway this afternoon with organisers predicting there will be arrests.

Here in Perth they described today’s rally as an introduction to a week or protests and promised this is just the beginning.We feel the disruption is justified, warranted and actually long overdue,” Extinction Rebellion spokeswoman Jesse Noakes said.

“Unfortunately there is major major disruption coming whether we like it or not.”

They say their big protest day will be Friday.