Climate activists block key traffic hub in Berlin

Dozens of climate change activists blocked traffic at the main square in Berlin on Monday, kicking off a week of protests intended to force the German government to take more drastic measures to protect the environment. Defying almost freezing temperatures, activists singing "Solid as a rock, rooted like a tree" gathered at dawn at the iconic Victory Column near Berlin's Tiergarten park.

At sunset, some were sleeping in insulated bags in the middle of the roundabout as police on motorbikes drove by. No arrests were made and the protest remains peaceful. Police blocked the five avenues that converge on the roundabout to prevent cars and buses from reaching the demonstration, which would have resulted in traffic chaos during the morning rush hour.

Other activists rode on bicycles across the city to draw attention to their campaign, organized by the environmental group Extinction Rebellion, which held simultaneous protests in Amsterdam. Chancellor Angela Merkel's government is expected on Wednesday to approve the main details of landmark climate protection measures that have been described as unambitious by critics.

At the center of their outrage is a decision to introduce a carbon dioxide price of 10 euros ($10.96) a tonne for transport and heating in buildings from 2021 and gradually increase it to 35 euros in 2025. Economists and activists had hoped for a starting price of at least 40 euros and point to Switzerland where that price is about 90 euros for heating with fossil fuels.

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