Police say they believe seven protesters who climbed a 270-foot crane at a downtown Washington construction site just blocks from the White House are associated with the environmental group Greenpeace.

Capt. Robert Glover of the Metropolitan Police Department told reporters Wednesday morning that officers were called to the area of 15th and L streets and found three people who weren't authorized to be at the site attached to the crane. He says another four people are now on the crane, too.

Glover says the protesters believed to be associated with Greenpeace told police they're conducting a First Amendment action.

The protests comes a day after President Donald Trump's administration moved to delay implementation of at least 30 environmental rules and froze new Environmental Protection Agency contracts and grant awards.