Dozens of climate protesters in New York City were seen blocking crucial roads and disrupting traffic on the FDR and West Side Highway on Monday. Law enforcement officials present at the scene arrest at least 45 of those protesters, according to US media reports.

Representatives from the Extinction Rebellion and the Sunrise Movement gathered on the streets of New York demanding action on climate change from the federal government of the United States, in particular President Joe Biden.

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The series of protests, which seemed to be coordinated, managed to disrupt traffic in New York City for at least an hour by blocking crucial lanes and directions. According to reports from NBC, several dozens of the protesters were chained to each other while some lay down in the middle of traffic.

The protestors were reportedly attempting to grab the attention of lawmakers in Washington DC and demand immediate executive and legislative action on climate change.

At least 13 protestors were restricted by law enforcement officials on the FDR on Monday morning while the West Side Highway protest saw at least 32 arrests, according to reports from NBC. Both the protests were reportedly cleared out by police officials before noon.

The objective of the two protests was reportedly urging the United States Congress to not cut down on climate initiatives like the Build Back Better plan, a legislation that is being heavily debated between Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Ana Cordeiro, one of the protesters in New York City said in a statement, “Biden promised to cut emissions by half by 2030 and now the legislation that can make it happen, everything that is hanging on the future of life on the planet, is hanging on what’s happening in Congress and that’s been negotiated down”, according to reports from NBC.