Tower Bridge reopens after Extinction Rebellion activists take action
Protesters abseil down the London landmark in a fight to end new fossil fuel infrastructure.
Last updated 8th Apr 2022
Tower Bridge has been reopened after being shut down earlier today, when two Extinction Rebellion activists were seen abseiling off the sides of the London landmark.
The two protesters were hanging from the bridge by suspension cords and have hung a huge banner reading: "End fossil fuels now."
The Metropolitan Police announced the closure of Tower Bridge, a main traffic artery across the Thames, on Twitter today at 8:59am and reopened again at 12:09pm.
The pair hung the banner at 7am on Friday and have also released red flares.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the bridge at 7.30am and no arrests have been made.
Extinction Rebellion and the Just Stop Oil coalition are taking part in the action, it comes after eight days of disruption at oil facilities by both groups.
They are calling for an end to all new fossil fuel infrastructure as the government reviews its energy security due to the Ukraine war.
Extinction Rebellion said: "The action has taken place at the gateway to the City of London - the root source of fossil fuel funding in the UK - and on the eve of the April Rebellion which begins tomorrow at 10am in Hyde Park."
Amy Rugg-Easey, who is taking part in the demonstration, said: "I ask myself why I do these things all the time, and the main thing that drives me is that I have tremendous hope and optimism in humanity's ability to fight the climate crisis - but there are certain people who continue to prevent that for their own profit."
Passers-by asked police officers at the scene what was taking place, with some expressing frustration at the protestors' actions.
Ben Hersh, 24, an office worker who regularly uses the bridge to get to work, told the PA news agency that the protestors should "grow up" and "stop taking aim at regular people".
He added, "I know that climate issues are important, but why are we always targeted.
"They need to grow up, stop doing stupid stunts, stop taking aim at regular people and maybe more people would do things to help them and the environment."