Czech Republic: Police in the center of Prague detained dozens of activists.

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Police in the center of Prague near the Chamber of Deputies detained 44 activists of the climate movement Extinction Rebellion, due to disobedience to the call or violation of the protected area of ​​the parliament building. The first twelve people were detained at the Chamber of Deputies building, another 32 in the adjacent Tomášská Street. According to police spokeswoman Violeta Siřišťová, the activists ended up in the police station.

Members of the movement blocked traffic in Thunovská Street near the Chamber of Deputies in the morning. They demanded that the government declare a state of climate emergency and negotiate climate measures. Shortly before, the group allegedly tried to get into the House.

One of the activists of the Czech branch of the Arne Springorum movement told ČTK that the demonstrators did not plan to get into the Chamber of Deputies building, according to him they just wanted to nail a declaration of climate emergency to the House door. Police said they detained the activists because they disobeyed calls and violated the protected area.

Police intervened at the seat of the parliamentary chamber shortly after eight o'clock in the morning, and a law enforcement unit was on the scene. Activists in the House played and sang, some hung on a structure they had assembled there. Others stood behind a large banner that said, there are worse things in permafrost than coronavirus, let's not melt it.

Adéla Hrdličková, a spokeswoman for the organizing movement said the aim of the event is to warn the public, and especially the government and the Chamber of Deputies, that we are in a state of climate crisis and we demand that it maintain itself by declaring a state of climate emergency. Which, in our opinion, is something completely self-evident.

According to Hrdličková, the general goal of the movement is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025 to keep the Czech Republic below 1.5 degrees Celsius, because only then will it have a 66 percent chance of avoiding the worst-case scenario that the climate crisis is heading for.

"It simply came to our notice then. That is why we have taken such action out of an emergency, that is, blocking the street. We know that many Prague residents can be upset because they may not get to work, but it is an emergency and we demand a state of climate emergency, "said the spokesperson.

"Great rebellion for life"

The movement also demonstrated its demands on Tuesday in front of the Ministry of Finance in Prague. Some activists were tied to the front door, but did not completely block access to the building. Extinction Rebellion required the resort to promote a greener strategy in the economy and other areas.

The protest was part of the so-called Great Rebellion for Life, in which the Prague branch of the movement intends to organize several other similar events in the coming days. Unknown institutions had a blockade planned for Thursday.