This is when Extinction Rebellion activists were forcibly removed by outraged Italian motorists after blocking a busy highway in Rome on Thursday.
The demonstrators demonstrated on environmental issues and lined up on Rome’s Raccordo – the city’s main ring road and one of the busiest – with banners held.
A videotaped from the side of the two-lane road showed the protesters using roadblock protest tactics also used in Britain, causing a massive traffic jam as far as the eye could see, with no police officers or vehicles in sight.
In response, enraged Italian motorists at the front of the line jumped out of their vehicles to take action – dragging the protesters across the tarmac and dumping them on the side of the road.
Pictured: This is when Extinction Rebellion activists were forcibly removed by outraged motorists after blocking a busy highway in Rome on Thursday
A man tore an orange banner from the hands of the Extinction Rebellion activists and threw it over the side of the highway barrier. A woman, dressed in a sundress while still carrying her handbag, yanked a second plate from their grasp.
After removing the banners, a second man joined the first and forcibly dragged the protesters by their arms across the tarmac to the side of the road, leaving enough room for several vehicles to pass through and around the demonstration.
However, when the first man dragged the remaining protesters off the road, the activists he removed first saw an opportunity and rushed back to the center of the road and ahead of oncoming traffic – only to sit down with their banners again.
Pictured: Outraged Italian drivers berate protesters before grabbing their banners
Pictured: Two motorists see banners tearing away from protesters in Rome on Thursday
Pictured: An enraged motorist tries to snatch a banner from an Extinction Rebellion protester who sat in the middle of a busy highway on Thursday
With no police in sight, Italian motorists were forced to take matters into their own hands and drag the activists off the road to allow cars to pass
When traffic was blocked again, the man grabbed one of the female protesters by the hair and again dragged her to the side of the road. This didn’t stop her, though, as she quickly shuffled back in front of traffic.
According to Italian publication Corriere Dello Sport, the young protesters were part of an Extinction Rebellion off-shoot group called the “Last Generation” campaign.
The group is calling for the end of all fossil fuel extraction projects and demands that Italy not restart its coal-fired power plants and instead develop more wind and solar energy sources.
Britain has struggled with similar protests in recent years, with Extinction Rebellion also wreaking havoc on public transport. Another group – Insulate Britain – has used the same roadblock tactics as the activists in Italy.
Pictured: A motorist is seen dragging an Extinction Rebellion protesters off the road
When some motorists made a break for the hole made by their fellow motorists, the protesters quickly returned to their positions and blocked the road again
Some cars were able to get through the roadblock, but once they were removed, activists quickly shuffled back in front of traffic and continued to block the busy ring road
Pictured: The man most powerful in a video of the incident was shown dragging one of the protesters by her hair to get her off the busy road
Legal action has been taken against the protesters and injunctions have been issued to deter activists with possible jail terms.
The video showed the first man — wearing sunglasses, shorts and a T-shirt — yelling in the face of the female activist who had returned to the middle of the road.
This time he picked her up and threw her to the side of the road. Meanwhile, the second man was able to punch a hole in the protesters long enough to drive more cars and trucks through and away from the scene.
However, at the end of the video, the protesters are shown persisting in their efforts, blocking at least half of the road – again with their orange banner.
Corriere Dello Sport reported that the protest was eventually broken down with the arrival of the local police, the Carabinieri (federal police) and the Digos (special forces) – arresting the protesters.