Police arrest 50 climate protesters in Amsterdam, 21 in London

Amsterdam police arrested over 50 climate protesters blocking a main road to the Rijksmuseum in the city center on Monday.

Hundreds of protesters blocked the Stadhouderskade, a street along the Rijksmuseum, since Monday morning.

The municipality of Amsterdam had forbidden the blockade, but the protesters of the so-called Extinction Rebellion action group nevertheless continued their action. They set up tents and emphasized they intend to stay for a while.

The climate protest is part of an international campaign. The activists say they want to continue the blockade for a week in order to enforce more climate measures.

At around 11 a.m. local time, the police stated that already over 50 arrests have been made to end the blockade and more arrests are ongoing.

"The action is primarily aimed at de-escalation and a proper end of the blockade and a safe flow of traffic," the police stated.

The activists were allowed by the Amsterdam municipality to demonstrate at the nearby Museumplein square behind the Rijksmuseum, because the protest there would cause less inconvenience. The police told the activists through loudspeakers that they should go to the Museumplein, which they refused.

The area around the Rijksmuseum is closed off by police officers. The municipality warned for traffic delays and advised people to take other roads.

Meanwhile, London police confirmed 21 arrests so far in the central part of the British capital on Monday morning at the start of two weeks of protests by environmental campaigners.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed these arrests as hundreds of protesters were marching on Downing Street late on Monday morning.

Extinction Rebellion claimed one of those arrested was an 81-year-old retired social worker from Oxford.

The activists are protesting in cities around the world, including Berlin, Amsterdam and Sydney.

In London, they have succeeded in closing off Lambeth bridge and the Mall, and plan to shut down other key sites in the city, including Westminster Bridge, in addition to protests outside government departments.