The environmental group Extinction Rebellion claimed responsibility for the blocking of four bridges in London on Friday, disrupting traffic in the British capital, during an action intended to alert on the climate emergency.
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Protesters blocked Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth Bridges, which span the River Thames, Extinction Rebellion (XR) announced on Twitter.
Denunciation of oil and gas drilling
“
Until our government acts now on the climate crisis, ignoring expert advice, allowing more drilling for oil and gas, locking up scientists, we will have no choice but to create disruption
” , tweeted XR.
“
We are on the way to a catastrophic warming of 3°C
” of the atmosphere compared to the pre-industrial era, warned the group, using the figure of UN climate experts without strengthening current policies.
Closure of Tower Bridge
Nine scientists were arrested after an action on Wednesday targeting the Department of Energy and one went on a hunger strike late Thursday after being denied release, according to the organization.
London police said on Twitter they were seeing "
pockets
" of protesters "
causing delays and disruption across central London
", saying law enforcement is working to "
manage the impact
".
XR has been carrying out a series of actions for the past week to call for an end to fossil fuels, including a coup last Friday that led to the closure of the famous Tower Bridge.
“You can change jobs, you can't change planets;
is your loyalty to your employer or to the planet”
Posters in the event.
A giant banner reading '
End fossil fuels now
' was hung from the building and two activists hung from ropes over the River Thames.
On Wednesday, members of the organization entered the headquarters of British oil giant Shell in London, some of them immobilizing their hands with glue on the reception desk, calling on employees to leave the company.
Oil infrastructure disruptions
"
You can change jobs, you can't change planets
" or "
is your loyalty to your employer or to the planet
", could be read on posters.
The day before, activists had entered the premises of the Lloyd's of London insurance market, which had suddenly preferred to ask its employees not to show up and to carry out their work remotely.
This series of actions comes in parallel with disturbances of oil infrastructure, since the beginning of the month, by the organization Just Stop Oil.
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The British government presented last week a new strategy on energy security adopted under the pressure of the war in Ukraine and soaring inflation, which accelerates the development of nuclear and renewable energies, but also fossil fuels at sea. North.
