Protesters with the Denver chapter of Extinction Rebellion made good on its promise to inconvenience people to make a point when they blocked drivers on Speer Boulevard at 11th Avenue during Monday's morning rush hour.
"Hey hey! Ho ho! Fossil fuels have got to go!" about 45 protesters chanted as they stood in the crosswalk blocking traffic.
Officers from the Denver Police Department protected the protesters from drivers, who had a green light, by parking vehicles in the middle of the intersection, the group's Facebook live feed showed.
But one officer used a megaphone in an attempt to break up the protest, which he said was unlawful because it impeded traffic.
"This assembly's in violation of 38-86, obstructing roadways," he said. "You must disperse! Failure to disperse will result in arrest."
Five people were arrested for obstructing traffic, the Denver Police Department confirmed.
"We do respect their right to protest and everything like that, we just want them to do it safely," DPD spokesman Jay Casillas said.
Extinction Rebellion is a worldwide movement aimed at getting local and national governments to enact policies to curb the climate change crisis.
CPR News reporter Sam Brasch contributed to this report.
