4 arrested at Extinction Rebellion protest that didn't make it to its intended destinations

Vancouver -

Police say they arrested four people at a climate protest in downtown Vancouver on Saturday.

Extinction Rebellion had promised to occupy the Georgia Viaduct and the Cambie Bridge "for as long as possible" in advance of the gathering, but they ended up changing plans after assembling downtown Saturday morning.

"The police would not allow us to occupy either the viaduct or the Cambie Bridge," said Brent Eichler, president of Unifor Local 950 and one of the organizers of Saturday's event.

"They put a line of police officers with bikes in front of the viaduct so we could not get on, and they were going to do the same with the Cambie Bridge, so we just decided to occupy this intersection today."

The protest happened at the intersection of Cambie and West Georgia streets, just a block from where West Georgia Street becomes the Georgia Viaduct.

Vancouver police estimated that "about 40" people took part in the demonstration.

In a news release, the Vancouver Police Department said the protesters placed banners in the middle of the intersection and staged "a sit-in that impeded drivers and emergency vehicles."

Before the event, Extinction Rebellion said in its own news release on Friday that it had consulted with first responders and would be ensuring that emergency vehicles could get through their blockades.

"After giving the demonstrators time to express their views and stage the protest, VPD officers asked the group to disperse," police said in their release. "While most agreed to leave, two men, one woman, and a 15-year-old boy refused. They were arrested for mischief because they were blocking the roadway."

The four arrestees were released after agreeing to appear in court at a later date, police said.

The intersection reopened shortly before 3 p.m.

Asked whether he felt like the protest was a success, Eichler said it was. Every demonstration is an opportunity to talk to people and build a movement to fight the climate crisis, he said.

"I think that all three political parties in Canada have to start having real plans to fix this crisis that we're in," Eichler said. "It's not just the Liberals that are failing us. It's also the NDP and the Conservatives. They have to have real climate plans and really put them in action instead of just talking about them."