Australian Extinction Rebellion (ER) activists blocked four lanes of traffic in the capital city of Canberra and protested in Melbourne on Aug. 3, demanding the Australian government immediately cease what it deems as ‘fossil fuel fervour’ and instead focus on fighting carbon dioxide emissions. The crowd caused severe disruption to commuters passing by the head office of the nation’s peak oil and gas body—the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA). The obstruction continued the following day with members splattering red paint and protesting outside the Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment—a response triggered after Environment Minister Sussan Ley appealed a court ruling that found her liable for the health of children impacted by a potential coal mine expansion, a conviction that ER helped champion. The protests then extended into the country’s second-largest city, Melbourne, on Thursday, with activists barricading themselves outside the office of federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. The …