This is the moment police moved into deal with the climate change protesters blocking traffic in the city centre.

Members of the Extinction Rebellion campaign group launched a protest on Great Ancoats Street during rush hour on Monday.

Video footage shows officers a large number of police officers, some carrying riot shields, removing protesters from the road.

Police say two men and three women have been arrested for obstructing the highways, and public nuisance offences.

Police officers could be seen using cutting equipment to release some of the protesters who attached themselves to concrete blocks placed in the road.

(Image: Steve Allen)

The protesters said they were raising awareness of the illegal levels of air pollution in the city centre.

They have also staged the protest to call on the council to cancel plans to create a car park on the former Central Retail Park site, also on Great Ancoats Street, and build a green space in the area instea.

It formed part of a series of protests which took place across the UK named ‘The Air We Grieve’.

Around 10 campaigners donning orange overalls could be seen straddling a wooden construction in the middle of the road earlier this morning.

The protest has caused major traffic problems in the city centre, with congestion building onto the Mancunian Way and into Miles Platting.

Bus services have been delayed or on diversion.

(Image: Steve Allen)

A statement from Extinction Rebellion said: "Extinction Rebellion groups from across the North are today taking action to highlight the criminal levels of air pollution both nationally and locally.

“Air pollution contributes to around 1,200 early deaths in Greater Manchester every year and around 4.2 million worldwide.

“On Monday December 9 Extinction Rebellion activists shutdown Great Ancoats street at the same time as other Extinction Rebellion activists in other towns and cities across the UK shut down streets in a protest entitled ‘The Air We Grieve’.

(Image: Steve Allen)

“This location has been chosen because of the planned construction of a carpark in a city that is desperately lacking in green space. This is a decision that has been massively disputed by residents, with a petition by campaigning group Trees not Cars gaining over 11,000 signatures and is very close to a school that put a bid in to use a part of the space for a playground.

“Yet this is not being taken seriously by the council or the combined authority who rejected these proposals. Despite both having declared a Climate Emergency within the last year.

“On top of this, 152 roads in Greater Manchester, including Great Ancoats street, exceed the legal limits of harmful Nitrogen Dioxide. This follows action taken by Extinction Rebellion in August, where many occupied Deansgate for four days as part of the ‘Northern Rebellion’."

Member of Extinction Rebellion North, Dom said: "We’re here out of desperation, our air is polluted to illegal levels. Over three people die a day in Manchester due to the high levels of pollutants in our air, they die for our convenience and it must stop.

“This city does not need more cars. We need green space and we’ll keep pushing until we get it."

Greater Manchester Police have said they are attempting to keep disruption to a minimum and are advising for drivers to plan ahead before travelling.

(Image: Steve Allen)

Superintendent Chris Hill of GMP City of Manchester says, “I would like to thank our agency partners for their support and the public for their patience.

“Whilst we respect everyone’s right to lawful protest, we ask that anyone intending on protesting in Manchester also respect the right of others to go about their daily business with minimal disruption, and to liaise with the local authorities in advance.”

Councillor Nigel Murphy, deputy leaded of Manchester City Council, said: "We were not aware of a planned protest today and we would ask demonstrators to respect the rights of people trying to go about their day. We will work with our partners at GMP and TfGM to help minimise the impact of the protest.

"Of course, we absolutely recognise the urgency to promote debate and actively tackle the urgent issue of climate change. We have set an ambitious target of making Manchester a zero carbon city by at least 2038 - 12 years earlier than the national target."

(Image: Steve Allen)

Earlier this yer the M.E.N published an article about the illegal levels of air pollution in this area of Ancoats.

Manchester City Council have plans to turn the former Central Retail Park shopping area into a 440 space car park.

Campaign group Trees Not Cars have called on the council to create a community green space instead.

A report found levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) in the area have been well above the legal limit of 40 micrograms per cubic metre for some time.

Great Ancoats Street has since re-opened, but the delays are expected to take some time to clear.

Sam Wheeler, Labour councillor for the Piccadilly ward, said: "I'm on record as saying the inner relief ring road is an idea whose time has long passed, given the number of people who now live in the city centre.

"However the main people who are affected by this protest are bus users, who are already doing the right thing, and city centre residents as motorists divert into their streets to get around protesters.

"As an organiser I don't think it is a good strategy to target people who already agree with you."

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