Sadiq Khan Warns Extinction Rebellion Protesters Against Unlawful Behaviour
17 April 2019, 12:53 | Updated: 17 April 2019, 12:56
London Mayor Sadiq Khan told LBC that he shares the concerns of protesters in London but that "it's not acceptable" to block routes used by the emergency services.
Anti-knife crime protesters are poised to gather at Whitehall and Westminster bridge today, demanding a Cobra meeting to tackle the surge in violent crime in recent years.
At the same time, climate change protests are still ongoing and disrupting travel in London as Extinction Rebellion's campaign reaches its third day of demonstrations.
Police confirmed they had made over 300 arrests as protesters stopped some DLR lines in Canary Wharf and campaigners continue to block off parts of London - including Waterloo Bridge.
Speaking to James O'Brien, the Mayor said that he supported the protesters' right to protest and that he shared their concerns but that "it's not acceptable" to block routes used by emergency services.
The Mayor of London said: "I respect fully the rights of Londoners and those from outside London to protest. What's important though is please cooperate fully with the authorities, that way we can minimise the disruption.
"You can make sure you bring the attention of this important issue to those that need to see what's happening, but we need to do it as safely as possible."
Sadiq Khan also emphasised to protesters: "Bear in mind, that you don't want to inadvertently cause damage to your cause by putting people off because of the way you're protesting."
