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Extinction Rebellion cause central London traffic chaos with Tower Bridge protest

Ellen Manning
·3-min read
Protestors brought London to a standstill after abseiling off Tower Bridge on Friday morning. (Extinction Rebellion/Twitter)
Protestors brought London to a standstill after abseiling off Tower Bridge on Friday morning. (Extinction Rebellion/Twitter)

Climate activists brought central London to a standstill on Friday morning by abseiling off Tower Bridge.

Protestors from Extinction Rebellion abseiled off the landmark just after 7.30am, unfurling a green banner reading: 'End fossil fuels now', prompting police to close the bridge.

Protestors also released red flares.

Activists from Extinction Rebellion hang from suspension cords beside a giant banner that reads
Activists were hanging from suspension cords beside a giant banner that reads 'End fossil fuels now'. (PA)
Activists from Extinction Rebellion hang from suspension cords beside a giant banner that reads
The protest led to the closure of the bridge - a major route in London. (PA)
Police officers work to remove activists from Extinction Rebellion who are hanging from suspension cords beside a giant banner that reads
Police officers were called at around 7.30am on Friday morning. (PA)
Police officers work to remove activists from Extinction Rebellion who are hanging from suspension cords beside a giant banner that reads
The protestors could be seen dangling from the bridge. (PA)

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The protest and the ensuing closure of the busy route caused long queues of traffic in the area on Friday morning.

The protest comes ahead of a planned day of 'mass participation' protests from Hyde Park this Saturday and follows several weeks of activity across the country by climate change protestors.

Just Stop Oil has been blockading oil facilities across the country, demanding that the government ends all new oil and gas projects in Britain.

The group said: “The action has taken place at the gateway to the City of London – the root source of fossil fuel funding in the UK – and on the eve of the April Rebellion which begins tomorrow at 10am in Hyde Park."

Police were called to the bridge at 7.30am on Friday, where protestors abseiled from Tower Bridge. (PA)
Police were called to the bridge at 7.30am on Friday, where protestors abseiled from Tower Bridge. (PA)

Groups have targeted the Kingsbury oil terminal in Warwickshire, as well as the Navigator oil terminal in Grays, Essex.

Warwickshire Police said on Thursday that more than 100 arrests have been made at Kingsbury oil depot, including for offences of criminal damage and going equipped, with all those detained currently in custody.

The force said in a statement: “A large policing presence remains in the area.

“We will always respect people’s right to peaceful protest but we are committed to taking action against those who break the law and significantly impact on the lives and livelihoods of others.”

Tower BRidge
The protest is the latest part of ongoing activity by the group. (Extinction Rebellion/Twitter)

Just Stop Oil said more than 400 activists have now been arrested over the protests, which began last week.

Extinction Rebellion has warned that its protests will be "more disruptive than ever".

The group's activities have sparked anger from some, with those caught up in the chaos at Tower Bridge on Friday branding them selfish.

Activists from Just Stop Oil block the route of a tanker as they blockade the ESSO Birmingham Fuel Terminal, Birmingham. Picture date: Friday April 1, 2022. (Photo by Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images)
Activists from the Just Stop Oil group have been blocking tankers at the ESSO Birmingham Fuel Terminal. (Getty)
LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 07: Extinction Rebellion (XR) protesters glue themselves to barrels outside the Treasury on April 07, 2022 in London, England. The UK government released their energy strategy today placing nuclear power and continued oil and gas exploitation at the heart of the policy. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Protesters glued themselves to barrels outside the Treasury on Thursday (7 April). (Getty)

Watch: Extinction Rebellion enters fourth day of protests at oil facility