The number of arrests connected to a climate change protest in London has risen to 340, police said late Wednesday, in the wake of disruption on the city’s underground rail system.
A group calling itself Extinction Rebellion began demonstrating Monday at central locations including Parliament Square, Waterloo Bridge and Oxford Circus. Police said some 500,000 people have been affected by the protests.
Police have imposed conditions at the three locations stipulating protesters must move to Marble Arch.
Earlier, Transport for London (TfL) said that disruptions to the rail network remained minimal.
Britain’s Press Association reported that a smartly dressed man and woman climbed on top of a train in the capital’s financial district and glued themselves to the roof before unfurling a banner reading “climate emergency.”
Read Also:
Another protester sporting a beard and a high-visibility vest glued his hand to a train window before being removed and arrested by police, PA said in its report.
“Our aim is to create moments in time when humanity stops and fully considers the extent of the harm we have done and are doing to life on Earth,” Extinction Rebellion said of its Wednesday protest.
British Transport Police said that wi-fi connectivity across the London Underground had been suspended in order to prevent protesters from disrupting public transport.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said in a statement Tuesday that he shared “the passion” of those demonstrating and was a “staunch supporter of the right to peaceful protest.”
But he said he was “extremely concerned” about plans to disrupt the Underground, adding it was “absolutely crucial to get more people using public transport … if we are to tackle this climate emergency.”
Extinction Rebellion plans two weeks of demonstrations in Britain and 32 other nations.
(dpa)
