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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/oct/07/extinction-rebellion-protesters-block-road-outside-downing-street
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| Extinction Rebellion: arrests as activists shut down roads in Westminster | Extinction Rebellion: arrests as activists shut down roads in Westminster |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Extinction Rebellion protesters have shut off large parts of Westminster as they began a planned two-week shutdown of central London. | Extinction Rebellion protesters have shut off large parts of Westminster as they began a planned two-week shutdown of central London. |
| The Metropolitan police said 135 people had been arrested. Westminster Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall were all blocked off as throngs of people demonstrated about the lack of meaningful action to tackle the climate crisis. | The Metropolitan police said 135 people had been arrested. Westminster Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Trafalgar Square and Whitehall were all blocked off as throngs of people demonstrated about the lack of meaningful action to tackle the climate crisis. |
| In Trafalgar Square a hearse was parked carrying a coffin that said: “Our future.” The driver had used a D-lock to attach himself to the steering wheel while other protesters attached themselves to the bottom of the vehicle and some lay in the road. | In Trafalgar Square a hearse was parked carrying a coffin that said: “Our future.” The driver had used a D-lock to attach himself to the steering wheel while other protesters attached themselves to the bottom of the vehicle and some lay in the road. |
| Extinction Rebellion is a protest group that uses non-violent civil disobedience to campaign on environmental issues. | Extinction Rebellion is a protest group that uses non-violent civil disobedience to campaign on environmental issues. |
| Launched in October 2018, with an assembly at Parliament Square to announce a 'declaration of rebellion' against the UK Government, the group has staged regular demonstrations against current environmental policies. | Launched in October 2018, with an assembly at Parliament Square to announce a 'declaration of rebellion' against the UK Government, the group has staged regular demonstrations against current environmental policies. |
| More than 1,000 activists were arrested in April 2019 after protesters occupied four sites across London, as well as blocking roads, disrupting a railway line and conducting a protest at Heathrow. Other demonstrations have included a semi-naked protest inside the House of Commons and blockading streets in London, Cardiff, Leeds, Bristol and Glasgow. | More than 1,000 activists were arrested in April 2019 after protesters occupied four sites across London, as well as blocking roads, disrupting a railway line and conducting a protest at Heathrow. Other demonstrations have included a semi-naked protest inside the House of Commons and blockading streets in London, Cardiff, Leeds, Bristol and Glasgow. |
| The group says climate breakdown threatens all life on Earth, and so it is rebelling against politicians who “have failed us”, to provoke radical change that will stave off a climate emergency. The movement has become global with groups set up in countries include the US, Spain, Australia, South Africa and India. | The group says climate breakdown threatens all life on Earth, and so it is rebelling against politicians who “have failed us”, to provoke radical change that will stave off a climate emergency. The movement has become global with groups set up in countries include the US, Spain, Australia, South Africa and India. |
| Martin Belam | Martin Belam |
| Yards from Downing Street, protesters blocked off Whitehall and the Embankment was shut off for about four hours outside the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by activists who attached themselves to cars before being removed by police using buzzsaws. | Yards from Downing Street, protesters blocked off Whitehall and the Embankment was shut off for about four hours outside the Ministry of Defence (MoD) by activists who attached themselves to cars before being removed by police using buzzsaws. |
| Among those arrested on Monday on Victoria Embankment was 81-year-old Sarah Lasenby, a Quaker and retired social worker from Oxford. She said: “For 21 years my main concern has been to help get rid of UK nuclear weapons. I am still keen to do this but once I came across XR I was so relieved to have something I could do about the ghastly state we have got our planet in. | Among those arrested on Monday on Victoria Embankment was 81-year-old Sarah Lasenby, a Quaker and retired social worker from Oxford. She said: “For 21 years my main concern has been to help get rid of UK nuclear weapons. I am still keen to do this but once I came across XR I was so relieved to have something I could do about the ghastly state we have got our planet in. |
| “The whole thing is so urgent that it is imperative the government should take serious actions and put pressure on other states and global powers to radically reduce the use of fossil fuels even if this means we need to reduce our comfort at home and so much flying.” | “The whole thing is so urgent that it is imperative the government should take serious actions and put pressure on other states and global powers to radically reduce the use of fossil fuels even if this means we need to reduce our comfort at home and so much flying.” |
| Marie, 32, who did not wish to give her surname, was in Trafalgar Square at her first ever protest. She said she had been partly moved to attend because she works in fashion, which she said was one of the heaviest polluting industries. | Marie, 32, who did not wish to give her surname, was in Trafalgar Square at her first ever protest. She said she had been partly moved to attend because she works in fashion, which she said was one of the heaviest polluting industries. |
| She said: “The atmosphere here is very nice, it’s people of all different ages and backgrounds. If you ask anyone what they want for their future they’d say they want a brighter future for their children. We need as many people as possible to have a voice. The system is not functioning. Infinite growth is a system and philosophy that needs to change. We consume too much.” | She said: “The atmosphere here is very nice, it’s people of all different ages and backgrounds. If you ask anyone what they want for their future they’d say they want a brighter future for their children. We need as many people as possible to have a voice. The system is not functioning. Infinite growth is a system and philosophy that needs to change. We consume too much.” |
| Another protester, a 55-year-old woman from Brighton who gave her name only as Venetia, was among those sitting in the road outside Downing Street. | Another protester, a 55-year-old woman from Brighton who gave her name only as Venetia, was among those sitting in the road outside Downing Street. |
| She said: “It’s a climate emergency. The need is so strong; what can be more important than the future of all life in this planet? Action must be taken to have a chance of mitigating the effects of the climate crisis.” | She said: “It’s a climate emergency. The need is so strong; what can be more important than the future of all life in this planet? Action must be taken to have a chance of mitigating the effects of the climate crisis.” |
| Unlike in April, when central London was shut down for two weeks, the police response was much quicker. Officers, including from the territorial support group, were conspicuously deployed even before protests began. They lined the streets, stopping and searching people on Whitehall and outside the underground station, particularly casually dressed people and those with rucksacks or bags. | |
| Officers dragged away at least three protesters from Westminster Bridge, including one who had attached himself to a tipi structure and had to be extricated using tools. | |
| Officers also tried to drag away people involved in the sit-in near Downing Street and people attaching themselves to the bottom of the hearse in Trafalgar Square. | Officers also tried to drag away people involved in the sit-in near Downing Street and people attaching themselves to the bottom of the hearse in Trafalgar Square. |
| Despite the gravity of the subject they are highlighting there was a carnival atmosphere at the demonstrations, with bands playing on Whitehall and Trafalgar Square. | |
| But there were signs that relations between police and protesters had deteriorated since April, with chants of “fuck you” aimed at officers on Westminster Bridge. | |
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