Jacques-Cartier Bridge reopens after environmental protest

Two protesters climbed one of the structures of the Jacques-Cartier Bridge early Tuesday morning, triggering a police operation that shut down the bridge for nearly seven hours, and caused major traffic headaches for rush-hour drivers.

The bridge, which connects Montreal's South Shore to downtown Montreal, reopened around noon.

Quebec provincial police, the Sret du Qubec (SQ), said they had arrested two people and that investigators were meeting them. Nobody was injured.

The incident began just before 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday.

By 6 a.m., traffic on the bridge was severely backed up in both directions.

Around 7 a.m., the SQ said the two protesters were still on the structure they were trying to negotiate a peaceful end to the protest.

Police urged people affected by the closure to work from home if possible.

A protester who spoke with Radio-Canada said the protest was organized by two groups: Last Generation Canada and Collectif Antigone.

They're calling for an end to investments in fossil fuels.