On Tuesday, climate activism group Extinction Rebellion blocked off the intersection at Frederiks Gate Street and Karl Johans Gate Street by the palace in Oslo and protested outside the Ministry of Climate and Environment as part of a set of week-long demonstrations in the city.
Around 100 demonstrators, some of who chained themselves together using plastic tubes, were at the intersection near the palace, and police set up roadblocks around the group before moving them on.
📣 Hello we’re still here 📣
📍 Rebels have blocked the crossing Frederiks gate / Karl Johans gate
No one will miss us
The climate and ecological emergency is BEYOND POLITICS
Join the #NordicRebellion pic.twitter.com/vva6qvmPFh
— Extinction Rebellion Norway (@ExtinctionR_NO) August 24, 2021
The demonstrations are part of what the group has called “non-violent disobedience” to protest the Norwegian government’s decision to continue drilling for oil.
“We are protesting against the Norwegian government’s decision to drill for more and more oil. It exacerbates an already escalating climate crisis,” the group’s spokesperson told local news site Avisa Oslo.
Despite its green ambitions of being climate neutral by 2030 and a “low carbon” society by 2050, the country is still one of the worlds largest exporters of oil and natural gas.
In addition to this, the country will continue oil drilling, exploration, and production in the coming decades. This, the International Energy Agency, has previously said, is entirely at odds with the global goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
READ MORE: How will climate change impact Norway?
On Monday, 48 people were arrested following protests outside the Ministry of Petroleum and demonstrations in Majorstuen and Grünnerløkka.
Oslo Police District has so far issued 33 fines of 13,000 kroner. In total, 429,000 korner of fines have been dished out so far.
The group have said the fines activists pick up will be partially subsidised through fundraising, but members were ultimately responsible for their own fines.
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