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More than 50 people were arrested as thousands of protesters occupied five bridges in central London to express their concern over the looming climate crisis.
Protesters, including families and retirees, began to gather on five of London's main bridges from 10am on Saturday. An hour later, all crossing points had been stuck in one of the largest acts of peaceful civil disobedience in the UK for decades. Some people locked themselves together, while others tied their arms and sang songs.
At 2 pm, the blockade of the Southwark Bridge had been abandoned and the protesters had moved from there to the Blackfriars Bridge, where the organizers had announced that they would soon move to the west in Westminster Bridge direction.
The protest will leave the eastern bridges to gather at the end of the day in Westminster, where members of the public will have the opportunity to speak up about the destruction of the environment.
The day will end with an interfaith ceremony in front of Westminster Abbey.
This action is part of a massive civil disobedience campaign organized by a new group, Extinction Rebellion, which wants to force governments to address the threats of climate change and extinction as a crisis.
"The" social contract "has been broken … [and] it is therefore not only our right, but also our moral duty to circumvent the government's inaction and flagrant breach of duty and to rebel to defend life itself, "said Gail Bradbrook, one of the organizers.
Alice, 19, from Bristol was among those blocking the Westminster Bridge.
"I took the coach at 3am to make sure she did not miss it," she said, "and I'm really glad I did. It is a minor personal inconvenience and, having achieved it, I can participate in a rebellion.
"This moment will remain in the history books, when we finally stopped allowing our leaders to take us over the cliff."
NEW Jenny Jones, the Green Party counterpart, joins the demonstration on Westminster Bridge. She supported the nonviolent direct action taken by the protesters.
"We are at a point where if we do not start acting and act quickly, we will simply erase our life support system," she said.
"It's good to think that we are a rich country, the sixth largest economy in the world, but in reality we will not do better than anywhere else, because climate change will affect us a lot too.
"Basically, conventional politics failed us – it even failed me and I'm part of the system – so people have no choice."
Father Martin Newell, of Blackfriars Bridge, said: "What brought me here is the climate urgency, the extinction and the faith in God who created all this and whose creation we destroy and crucify. … I am called as a Christian to protect our neighbor who is being abused. "
In the past two weeks, more than 60 people have been arrested for taking part in acts of civil disobedience organized by Extinction Rebellion, ranging from sticking up against government buildings to blocking major roads in the capital.
However, the disturbances were eclipsed on Saturday when organizers announced that 6,000 people had taken part in the protests.
"This is not a step we take lightly," said Tiana Jacout, one of the people involved. "If things continue as they are, we are facing a greater extinction than the one that killed the dinosaurs. I do not know about you, but I prefer to be a worthy ancestor. "
Extinction Rebellion, quoted by the civil rights movement, suffragettes and Mahatma Gandhi, said smaller demonstrations had occurred Saturday in other cities in the UK and abroad.
The organizers say they plan to step up campaigns on Wednesday, as small teams of activists "swarm" around central London blocking roads and bridges, causing widespread disruption of the capital. .
"Given the scale of the ecological crisis we face, this is the appropriate scale of expansion," Bradbrook said. "Occupy the streets to bring about change, as our ancestors did before us. Only this type of large-scale economic disruption can quickly bring the government to the table to discuss our demands. We are ready to risk everything for our future. "
The group calls on the government to reduce its carbon emissions to zero by 2025 and to set up a "citizens assembly" to develop an emergency action plan similar to the that of the Second World War.
In addition to specific requests, organizers hope that the "Respectful Disruption" campaign will change the debate around climate degradation and signal to those in power that the current course of action will lead to a disaster.
The group, which was created just a few months ago, has raised approximately £ 50,000 in small-scale donations in recent weeks.
It now has offices in central London and, in recent months, has held meetings across the country, describing the magnitude of the climate crisis and urging people to get involved in actions. this weekend.
"Local groups are forming all over the country and even new groups are seeing about 100 people attending the meetings. Coaches come from Newcastle to Plymouth, "said Rupert Read, a university professor of philosophy at the University of East Anglia.
The campaign made the headlines a few weeks ago when the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, was one of 100 academics to vote in favor of this campaign.
In a letter published in the Guardian, they said: "Although our academic perspectives and expertise may differ, we are united on this point: we will not tolerate this government or any other government taking drastic and urgent action in this area. regarding the worsening of the ecological crisis. The science is clear, the facts are irrefutable and it is inconceivable for us that our children and grandchildren must suffer the terrifying shock of an unprecedented disaster that we have provoked. "
Civil disobedience comes as more and more signs of a climate collapse threaten and the UN has warned that there are only 12 years left to prevent a global ecological disaster.
The group also establishes international contacts, with 11 events planned in seven countries, including the United States, Canada, Germany, Australia and France.
"To properly challenge the system that sends us as soon as possible, we must be bold and ambitious," said Read. "Forging new connections around the world and learning from each other."
