Home UK Police move into Parliament Square to confront climate activists

Police move into Parliament Square to confront climate activists

382
0

The Environment Secretary told activists "we've got the message" as police officers moved into Parliament Square to remove protesters on the third day of climate action.

Metropolitan Police extended their restrictions on the protests which have closed major areas on London including Waterloo Bridge and roads around Parliament Square.

Officers removed protesters who refused to leave Parliament Square, but those removed were swiftly replaced as the Extinction Rebellion members prepared for two weeks of action.

Image: The demonstrators have not been moved on from Waterloo Bridge

Throughout the day, climate change protesters climbed on a train at Canary Wharf station in London while four others chained themselves to Jeremy Corbyn's house.

Since action began on Monday, Met Police have arrested 340 people. Activists are now only allowed in Marble Arch and will be removed from all other areas.

Advertisement

An activist is carried away in Oxford Circus
Image: An activist is carried away in Oxford Circus

A member of the activist group said they would be prepared to keep up the protests for two weeks.

On Wednesday, a man and woman, both dressed in black, were pictured on top of a DLR carriage holding a banner that read: "Climate emergency."

More from Climate Change

They were later removed from the carriage after apparently gluing themselves to the roof, along with another man who glued his hand to the train window.

Activists on Waterloo Bridge
Image: Activists on Waterloo Bridge

The station serves staff at Shell International – another London office of the oil company vandalised by protesters earlier this week.

British Transport Police (BTP) said specialist units trained in protest removal were deployed to the scene and one man has been arrested on suspicion of obstructing the railway.

A group of four people glued themselves together and chained themselves to the Labour leader's Islington home, sending him Easter eggs and flowers.

A climate change activist demonstrates during the Extinction Rebellion protest, at Canary Wharf DLR station in London, Britain April 17, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Image: One man glued his hand to a DLR train carriage

The gifts were returned to them. The group described themselves as "Jeremy Corbyn supporters".

The leader of the opposition declined a meeting with them and then left his home without speaking to the group.

They subsequently left and said they felt "absolutely terrible for upsetting his wife".

A group representing businesses in the West End district claimed two days of demonstrations have cost firms at least £12m.

Takings and footfall are down by up to 25% in some stores, the New West End Company said, as it called on police to "take control of the situation".

Climate activists who have glued themselves together sit outside Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn's house in north London.
Image: Climate activists who have glued themselves together sit outside Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn's house in north London.

Protesters from the Extinction Rebellion campaign have occupied the crossroads outside Oxford Circus underground station, camping out there for two days.

Despite a police order restricting demonstrations to a site at Marble Arch, they have remained at some of the capital's busiest hotspots – including Waterloo Bridge.

So far at least 340 people have been arrested for taking part in the ongoing action as police say the demonstrations are causing "serious disruption".

Police detain a protester as climate change activists demonstrate during the Extinction Rebellion protest, at Canary Wharf DLR station in London, Britain April 17, 2019. REUTERS/Henry Nicholls
Image: A man is arrested at Canary Wharf DLR station

Met Police denied rumours they were running out of space in their custody suites, saying they would continue to make arrests, and that no one was being taken to stations outside London.

The "non-violent" protests are "to highlight the emergency of ecological collapse" – if the government does not meet Extinction Rebellion's members.

BTP confirmed wifi has been shut off at some stations in an attempt to deter demonstrators.

Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of the New West End Company, wrote a letter to London Mayor Sadiq Khan saying businesses in the district were "deeply concerned" by the "continued disruption".

1 of hundreds of climate protesters arrested by police.
Protester arrested at London Waterloo station

"At a time when our high streets are struggling, this additional pressure is deeply damaging to London's economy and reputation," he added.

The group says it represents shops on 74 streets which employ 150,000 workers.

Mr Khan has said he shares the passion of protesters about the urgent need to tackle climate change.

But he added he was "extremely concerned" about plans to disrupt the London Underground.

So far almost 300 people have been arrested in London
Image: A police order restricts the protests to an area in Marble Arch

"It is absolutely crucial to get more people using public transport, as well as walking and cycling, if we are to tackle this climate emergency – and millions of Londoners depend on the Underground network to get about their daily lives in our city," he said in a statement.

"Targeting public transport in this way would only damage the cause of all of us who want to tackle climate change, as well as risking Londoners' safety and I'd implore anyone considering doing so to think again."

Read More – Source
[contf]
[contfnew]

Sky News

[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]

Previous articlePress release: UK offers solidarity and support after Notre-Dame fire
Next articleBubbles n’ Bliss: A chilled out Blue Book break in Ballina