Extinction Rebellion: 428 Arrests Over Four Days
18 April 2019, 07:01 | Updated: 18 April 2019, 12:18
Climate change activists are causing chaos across parts of London as over 428 Extinction Rebellion demonstrators are arrested in just four days.
The Met Police confirmed that, as of Thursday morning, 428 arrests had been made across London as part of the on-going climate change protests.
Conditions remain in place at Waterloo Bridge, Oxford Circus and Parliament Square meaning protestors should continue any demonstrations at Marble Arch only.
On Thursday morning climate change protesters blocked a second London bridge, just before 9 am demonstrators started to block Vauxhall Bridge, another key part of the capital's transport infrastructure.
LBC Reporter Rachael Venables said that protesters were "surging" onto the bridge, blocking traffic for five minutes at a time.
Protesters are ‘surging’ onto Vauxhall Bridge - blocking traffic on the North side for five minutes at a time.
— Rachael Venables (@rachaelvenables) April 18, 2019
One woman with a megaphone shouting apologies at drivers who’ve been stuck for around 45 mins now @LBC pic.twitter.com/B6KLPoQwFo
Social media posts showed a small group of demonstrators holding banners, standing across the road.
🤙#extinctionrebelion #peacefulprotest #radiclepolice pic.twitter.com/aqKuX244Ik
— Jack Tibbs (@JackTibbs7) April 16, 2019
As London wakes up to the fourth day of protests the impact has been huge. With over 55 bus routes diverted, more than 340 arrests made and London's retail sector claiming more than £12m in lost trade, many Londoners are asking when will it end?
On Wednesday protesters blocked traffic at Marble Arch, Waterloo Bridge, Parliament Square and Oxford Circus. Those sites had been occupied by protesters since early Monday morning.
The capital's police have come in for some criticism over their, perceived, lack of action.
In addition to blocking roads, activists also shut down a Docklands Light Railway (DLR) train at Canary Wharf, causing minor delays.
For around an hour, two protesters stood on top of London's least polluting public transport service, while another was glued to a door. All three were arrested by Transport Police.
In a move that prompted some mocking on social media five protesters also blockade the house of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Reports suggested that four protesters had attached themselves to a wooden fence outside Mr Corbyn's home. The demonstrators were all "all Jeremy Corbyn supporters" but wanted the Labour Party to go further than declaring a "climate emergency" according to the Evening Standard.
It was reported that protesters left after just two hours because they felt guilty over upsetting Mr Corbyn's wife.
