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Climate Change

Aggressive climate change protests hit major cities in Europe, Australia, more than 300 arrested

By Barnini Chakraborty Fox News
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A group of extreme climate change activists around the globe has brought parts of London, France, Germany, and Australia to a standstill as they aggressively push politicians to cut carbon emissions. In London alone, the actions of the Extinction Rebellion group led to 319 arrests and prompted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to call the group "uncooperative crusties."

"I am afraid that the security people didn't want me to come along tonight before they said the road was full of uncooperative crusties," Reuters quoted Johnson as saying during an event Monday night. Crusties is a British slang term for eco-protesters.

"They said there was some risk I would be egged," he added.

Extinction Rebellion climate change protesters lie down and block the street on Millbank in London, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Hundreds of climate change activists camped out in central London on Tuesday during a second day of world protests by the Extinction Rebellion movement to demand more urgent actions to counter global warming. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

Extinction Rebellion climate change protesters lie down and block the street on Millbank in London, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Hundreds of climate change activists camped out in central London on Tuesday during a second day of world protests by the Extinction Rebellion movement to demand more urgent actions to counter global warming. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

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Protesters said they didn't think Johnson's name-calling helped the tense situation.

"We're just ordinary people trying to express our deep disappointment with how slow the process of getting climate change action to occur is taking place, with the government not really listening, not really taking it forward on the scale it needs to be taken," Diane Jones told Reuters.

A climate change protester is arrested outside the Home Office in London, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Police are reporting they have arrested more than 300 people at the start of two weeks of protests as the Extinction Rebellion group attempts to draw attention to global warming. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

A climate change protester is arrested outside the Home Office in London, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Police are reporting they have arrested more than 300 people at the start of two weeks of protests as the Extinction Rebellion group attempts to draw attention to global warming. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)

Climate protesters in Australia and New Zealand also blocked roads, entered banks and energy companies on Monday. In Sydney, police were seen dragging elderly people and men in suits through the crowds as massive groups blocked roads in and out of the city. In all, police in Australia arrested about 30 people.

In Britain, the aim of the group is to force the country to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2025. Currently, Britain's target is 2050.

A demonstrator is arrested by police officers during in a climate protest near Parliament in London, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Police are reporting they have arrested more than 300 people at the start of two weeks of protests as the Extinction Rebellion group attempts to draw attention to global warming. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

A demonstrator is arrested by police officers during in a climate protest near Parliament in London, Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2019. Police are reporting they have arrested more than 300 people at the start of two weeks of protests as the Extinction Rebellion group attempts to draw attention to global warming. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)

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This isn't the first time there was a mass arrest in London over climate change. In April, the city was brought to a standstill after the same group caused havoc for three days in a row, climbing and gluing themselves on subway trains and other things to prompt road closures and disrupt daily life in London. The group was also responsible for a naked protest in the British Parliament.