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Dartford closure: Just Stop Oil protesters climb up QE2 Bridge | Dartford closure: Just Stop Oil protesters climb up QE2 Bridge |
(30 minutes later) | |
Essex Police said the two people were "currently at height" | Essex Police said the two people were "currently at height" |
Two people who scaled the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, causing its closure, are Just Stop Oil supporters, the protest group said. | |
Police closed the bridge, which connects the M25 between Essex and Kent, after reports of climbers at about 03:50 BST. | Police closed the bridge, which connects the M25 between Essex and Kent, after reports of climbers at about 03:50 BST. |
Just Stop Oil said it was part of a protest against new government oil and gas licences. | Just Stop Oil said it was part of a protest against new government oil and gas licences. |
A diversion for traffic was put in place via the Dartford tunnel. | A diversion for traffic was put in place via the Dartford tunnel. |
Essex Police said the incident "may take some time to resolve due to the complexities of safely getting people down from height". | Essex Police said the incident "may take some time to resolve due to the complexities of safely getting people down from height". |
National Highways East wrote on Twitter that there were "60-minute delays with three miles of congestion on the approach". | |
There is a diversion in both directions via the Dartford tunnel | |
The 1.7m-long (2.8km) bridge takes traffic southbound on the A282, which connects the M25 London Orbital Motorway between Essex and Kent. | The 1.7m-long (2.8km) bridge takes traffic southbound on the A282, which connects the M25 London Orbital Motorway between Essex and Kent. |
Just Stop Oil said the two supporters had ascended the two 84m masts at the north/Essex end of the bridge and called it "an act of resistance against a criminal government". | Just Stop Oil said the two supporters had ascended the two 84m masts at the north/Essex end of the bridge and called it "an act of resistance against a criminal government". |
The group said one of the pair, Morgan Trowland, was a 39-year-old bridge design engineer from London. | The group said one of the pair, Morgan Trowland, was a 39-year-old bridge design engineer from London. |
Mr Trowland said: "Our government has enacted suicidal laws to accelerate oil production - killing human life and destroying our environment. | Mr Trowland said: "Our government has enacted suicidal laws to accelerate oil production - killing human life and destroying our environment. |
"I can't challenge this madness in my desk job, designing bridges, so I'm taking direct action." | "I can't challenge this madness in my desk job, designing bridges, so I'm taking direct action." |
Protesters were dragged away by members of the public in Shoreditch, London, on Sunday | Protesters were dragged away by members of the public in Shoreditch, London, on Sunday |
Just Stop Oil says more than 450 of its supporters have been arrested over the last two weeks | Just Stop Oil says more than 450 of its supporters have been arrested over the last two weeks |
The group said more than 450 of its supporters have been arrested during the last two weeks of action. | The group said more than 450 of its supporters have been arrested during the last two weeks of action. |
More than 20 people were arrested on Sunday after some activists glued themselves to the road in Shoreditch High Street in east London. | More than 20 people were arrested on Sunday after some activists glued themselves to the road in Shoreditch High Street in east London. |
The High Court issued an interim injunction last year to deter environmental activists from staging demonstrations on the M25. | The High Court issued an interim injunction last year to deter environmental activists from staging demonstrations on the M25. |
Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman has described the actions of demonstrators as "self-defeating" and "completely indefensible". | Conservative Home Secretary Suella Braverman has described the actions of demonstrators as "self-defeating" and "completely indefensible". |
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk | Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk |