Climate change activists disrupted rush hour traffic in downtown Washington DC with protests, installations and some twerking on Monday. Their actions coincided with UN Climate Change Summit.
The protest, dubbed 'Shut Down DC,' targeted several locations across the US capital. Climate activists tried to block traffic by erecting barricades of sorts and placing vehicles at busy intersections.
The police tried their best to remove the obstacles, towing away vehicles and carrying protesters onto sidewalks. So far, no arrests have been reported and the protesters did not try to resist law enforcement.
UPDATE: A group of protesters are currently blocking intersection of Independence Ave. SW and 12th. Police are staged. Organizers currently telling people what to do if don’t want to get arrested/what to do if “they plan to get arrested” today. @ABC7GMW@ABC7Newspic.twitter.com/11zve6dYRa
The most 'successful' disruption of the city's traffic occurred just north of the White House at the intersection of 16th Street and K Street. Activists rolled a small yellow and pink sailboat onto the intersection and staged a dancing party right on the street.
Some of the protesters handcuffed themselves to the vessel, making it difficult for the police to remove the obstacle from the intersection.
Law enforcement was seen using angle grinders and other power tools to cut the activists loose from the boat – but not before providing them with fire-resistant blankets and ear protection.
Police are using a saw to separate the links protesters have attached themselves to the boat with. They’ve given those people flame-resistant blankets for the sparks. And ear protection. #ShutDownDCpic.twitter.com/FweMWz83O8
According to the event organizers, the boat remained at the intersection for some three hours before it was finally towed away. The protest, however, continued, as the activists switched to marching through the streets.
Some – presumably male – protesters were even spotted twerking at the middle of an intersection. The bizarre performance was accompanied by generous confetti throwing, which is actually not a very environmentally-friendly activity.
Now #ShutDownDC has guys twerking while people throw confetti at them to... stop climate change? Littering confetti is a bold new tactic to stop climate change, let’s see how it works out. These people are not mentally well. pic.twitter.com/AXsEqT1fdS
The protest became the backdrop to the UN Climate Summit, which brings together leaders of some 60 countries to talk about the issue, while major companies are expected to make new pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Mere non-binding resolutions are not enough for the protesters, however, who demand some "real" decisions from the gathering, and seek to press the US government into changing its stance on the climate change issue through disruption of the US capital.
