Climate activists block four of London's busiest bridges

UK climate activist group Extinction Rebellion on Friday shut down four of London's busiest bridges, snarling traffic on the first day of the Easter bank holiday.

The activists blocked Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth bridges, which cross over the River Thames, Extinction Rebellion tweeted.

"As long as our government fails to act now on the climate crisis disregarding expert advice, licensing more drilling for oil and gas, locking up scientists, we have no choice but to disrupt," it said. "We're on track for a catastrophic 3°C warming" above pre-industrial levels, the group warned.

Police officers stand nearby as activists from Just Stop Oil sit in front and on top of a fuel tanker during a protest in Grays, Essex. Reuters

Such a figure would be much higher than the 2015 Paris climate agreement goal to limit temperature rises to between 1.5˚C and 2˚C.
Nine scientists were arrested after a protest targeting the energy ministry Wednesday and one of the individuals started a hunger strike the next day after she was not released from custody, the group said.

The Metropolitan Police said on Twitter it was aware of "pockets" of protests that were "causing delays and disruption across central London," adding that officers were "working to manage the impact."

Activists from the Extinction Rebellion hold a banner as they block Lambeth Bridge during the Just Stop Oil protest in London. Reuters

The group has carried out a series of protests in the past week, including shutting down the iconic Tower Bridge last Friday.
Members of the group also targeted the headquarters of British energy giant Shell Wednesday, and some glued their hands to the building as they called on employees to quit their jobs.

The British government last week presented a new energy security strategy after the war in Ukraine and soaring inflation, with a greater focus on nuclear power and renewable energy, but also oil from the North Sea.

Agence France-Presse