Cop26: Erskine Bridge reopens after Rainbow Warrior ship sails under
Activists on the Greenpeace yacht hope to dock near the Cop26 venue.
Last updated 2nd Nov 2021
The Erskine Bridge temporarily closed this afternoon to allow a Greenpeace ship carrying youth activists sail up the River Clyde.
After a tight squeeze under the bridge, the Rainbow Warrior continued to travel up the Clyde in an attempt to dock near to the Cop26 climate summit venue at the SEC in Glasgow.
The campaigners were previously warned the yacht was not allowed to progress up the Firth of Clyde due to security restrictions.
Traffic Scotland said the closure would be temporary and the bridge would be reopened “as soon as it’s safe to do so”.
At around 4pm on Monday, the ship passed underneath and the Erskine Bridge was reopened.
Four members of the Fridays For Future group from the most affected areas of the world are on board the boat, which set off from Liverpool on Saturday night.
The Rainbow Warrior now appears to have docked on the River Clyde near King George V Dock in Shieldhall.
In a joint statement, the activists, who come from Namibia, Uganda, Mexico and Bangladesh, said: “The authorities have seen sense and now understand that our presence at the climate summit is too important to shut out.
“It’s ridiculous to think that climate talks could be held without the most affected people there and it’s positive that the police and port authorities have changed their minds.
“World leaders attending the talks could learn a lot from this cooperation. We have been ignored long enough, and now with a safe passage to Glasgow our voices must be heard at Cop26."
Assistant Chief Constable Gary Ritchie said: “The Rainbow Warrior is sailing towards the Cop26 venue and the restricted area of the River Clyde at which time it will breach the regulations in place to ensure the security of Cop26 and the safety of those in attendance.
“Harbour authorities had been in regular communication with the Rainbow Warrior and had instructed that, due to the restrictions and some significant safety concerns, it could not sail to its intended destination. Despite this, the captain of the Rainbow Warrior signalled her intent to continue.
“Accordingly, following consultation between police and harbour authorities, it was considered that the safest option for the crew of the Rainbow Warrior and wider public was to ensure the safe passage of the vessel to its destination.
“We are now engaging with Greenpeace and all relevant partners to ensure the safe passage of this vessel, it’s passengers and the wider public.”
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