ZURICH (Reuters) – Police began removing protesters seeking more action against climate change from a square near the Swiss parliament building in Bern early on Wednesday after the group that had set up tents refused to heed a city order to leave.

State broadcaster SRF showed video of police leading protesters away from Federal Square. Removal was likely to last for several hours because some had chained themselves to objects including bicycles and metal fencing, requiring fire department employees to use cutting tools.

The protesters, from various environmental campaign organisations, erected the camp in the heart of Bern’s political centre on Monday to highlight demands for Switzerland to do more to reduce net carbon emissions to zero by 2030.

(Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Michael Shields)

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