Overview
Animal rights protestors have shutdown the CBD this morning, Monday, April 8, blocking intersections, stopping trams and causing public transport delays throughout peak hour.
The Animal Activists Australia group — which is protesting Australia's livestock industry and promoting the documentary Dominion — blocked off the Flinders and Swanston streets intersection with vans at around 7am this morning and have since begun a second protest outside the Sea Life Aquarium on King Street.
Tow trucks have removed the protestor vans, which were draped with black signs promoting the documentary, and the intersection reopened at 10.30am. Eleven tram lines, travelling through Flinders and Swanston streets, which were earlier diverted or not running, resumed service along their normal lines at 10.15am.
Yarra Trams is warning commuters to expect delays as the tram timetables return to normal.
According to SBS, the Melbourne CBD groups were part of a nationwide protest, with activists chaining themselves to abattoirs in NSW and Queensland, and about a dozen protests marching in Sydney's CBD.
For further public transport and traffic updates, check Yarra Trams and Vic Traffic.