Extinction Rebellion activists blocked the Vauxhall and Lambeth bridges in London on Sunday.
Hundreds of protesters prevented cars and buses from crossing, but ambulances were let through when organizers shouted “blue lights” to divide the crowd.
Green MP Caroline Lucas previously told the BBC the group’s protests could sometimes be counterproductive.
But for some people, the rallies were the only way to feel heard, she said. The government has not yet commented.
She said: “I’m sorry it’s come to this and that’s the only way people feel like they can make their voices heard.”
The activists have vowed to blockade areas of London “as long as possible” every day for at least a week.
A protest in Oxford Circus on Saturday brought the West End to a standstill.
Ms Lucas said: “Personally, for example, I find it counterproductive if you try to stop Tube trains that are moving.
“I think being on the streets of London has proven to be a way to capture people’s imaginations.
“People have joined these protests who have never protested before. They do it because they know we need to keep new fossil fuels in the ground.
“The International Energy Agency says so, the most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report says so, and yet this government and this energy strategy is looking to … take more oil and gas out of the North Sea, which is frankly immoral, and the UN Secretary-General said that, frankly, that was both morally and economically insane.”
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