AMSTERDAM:  Dutch police on Saturday said they had detained 130 protesters with environmental group Extinction Rebellion who blocked locations in downtown Amsterdam to draw attention to climate change.

The group, which wants governments to take immediate action to avert the worst devastation outlined by scientists studying climate, is engaged in two weeks of civil disobedience in cities worldwide.

In Amsterdam, demonstrators brought a boat decorated with climate change slogans to the famous "Blauwbrug" bridge in front of City Hall.

Police said in a statement they had decided to make arrests because the demonstration had not been approved and activists were blocking traffic.

The total number of arrests in the Netherlands has surpassed 200 this week.

The Extinction Rebellion protests are aimed at forcing governments to cut carbon emissions and avert a climate crisis it says will bring starvation and social collapse.