Wednesday 17 April 2019

Fury of commuters and businesses' as eco-warriors cause a third day of chaos

Climate change protesters glued themselves to a Docklands Light Railway train roof today as they caused chaos on the capital's transport network on the third day of mayhem across London. 

Commuters and businesses are raging at the major disruption to at least 500,000 people as a boat continues to block Oxford Circus, activists dance on Waterloo Bridge and rows of tents cover key routes through the capital.

Despite police shutting down Transport for London's public wifi to stop activists co-ordinating their protests underground, Extinction Rebellion protesters clambered on DLR carriages overground at Canary Wharf station. 



Protesters boasted of keeping hold of their four strongholds of Parliament Square, Waterloo Bridge, Marble Arch and Oxford Circus where they have continued to gather all day. More than 300 have been arrested in 48 hours.

The protests have led to road closures and gridlock, with 55 bus routes closed as people use taxis for longer journeys to get around the chaos. West End retailers are estimated to have lost £12million in sales in two days.

Commuters voiced their anger at the ongoing disruption today, with one saying it was 'ridiculous' protesters were forcing people into using cars and another urging police to 'just get out there and arrest and jail the lot of them'. 

Arrests have been made for public order offences, obstructing a highway and criminal damage. One arrested man from Oxford called Ben said he was heading straight back to Marble Arch after being released this morning.   

Meanwhile police, whose costs are likely to run into the hundreds of thousands of pounds, have allegedly delayed arresting protesters after running out of cells. Those arrested could now be forced to go to cells outside London.

And local businesses have accused police of being too slow to move on the activists who have brought traffic to a standstill with human barricades, but Scotland Yard insists it is trying to maintain a 'proportionate' response. 

Jay Patel, 26, the manager of Marble Arch News on Edgware Road, said: 'It's completely ridiculous, we are losing so much money. There's no one here. The police need to do something soon as it's crippling our business.'





MailOnline

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