VENICE –Riot police clashed with hundreds of climate activists making their way to the red carpet of the Venice International Film Festival, police said on Sunday.

 Fire hydrants were used to disperse the crowd of over 500 protestors intent on crossing the security cordon to reach the red carpet of the oldest film festival in the world in the moments prior to the final awards ceremony Saturday when actors and directors paraded in front of the Palazzo del Cinema.

 The environmentalists, participants in the Venice Climate Camp – a 5-day camp on the Lido of Venice – called for urgent international action to reduce emissions.

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