Climate activists arrested at Melbourne protest

Dozens of people have been arrested after Melbourne's CBD ground to a halt as climate protesters staged a blockade.

Hundreds of people joined an Extinction Rebellion march from Treasury Gardens to Flinders Street Station in the city on Saturday afternoon.

A smaller group of protesters then staged a sit-in, blocking traffic as they refused to move off the road at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Sts.

"A number of protesters remained at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Streets after being told to move on," Victoria Police said in a statement on Saturday night.

Police arrested 32 people who remained on the roadway, 27 of whom are to be charged on summons with obstruction of a road.

Five of the protesters needed to be carried from the road by police.

They will be charged with intentional obstruction of an emergency worker and hindering police.