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Climate-change protesters have once again brought traffic in London to a standstill by blocking key junctions in the capital – telling hundreds of thousands of commuters that the disruption to their journeys is “a side effect” to the campaign.
Waterloo Bridge, the main link between the South Bank and the West End, is blocked for the third day. Normally a dozen bus routes use the bridge, serving railway stations, offices and hospitals.
But members of the Extinction Rebellion campaign have set up an encampment as part of their demand that: “The government takes emergency action on the climate and ecological crisis.”
The group is calling for greenhouse gas emissions to be reduced to zero by 2025.
Extinction Rebellion says that plant and animal species are disappearing at a rate of 200 per day.
International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupiedShow all 38 1 /38International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Activists make some noise at the occupation of Oxford Circus in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied A climate activist is arrested after spray painting a demand for climate laws on the entrance to Bristol Magistrates Court
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters in New York stage a "die-in" near City Hall in New York on April 17
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Jeremy Corbyn leaves his home as activists have glued themselves to the fence outside on April 17
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied An activist waters the plants at the occupation of Waterloo Bridge in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Activists sit in a boat on the River Thames in London on April 16
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Two activists stand atop a DLR train while another has superglued his hand to the carriage in Canary Wharf DLR station in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied An activist sits in a hammock while occupying Oxford Circus in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters form a road block on the North Bridge in Edinburgh on April 16
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters dance as a DJ plays at Oxford Circus in London on April 17
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Police remove a protester from the roof a DLR train at Canary Wharf station in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters at the "Temple of Peace & Quiet" occupy Waterloo Bridge in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Police remove a protester from the roof a DLR train at Canary Wharf station in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters in New York stage a "die-in" near City Hall in New York
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters set up atop a lorry blocking Waterloo Bridge
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied An activist walks past the camp on Waterloo Bridge early in the morning of April 17 in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters on the Shell building in London during the protests
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied An activist halts a train by superglueing his hand to it
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Activists take part in a protest in Berlin on April 15
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Activists lie under a lorry on Waterloo Bridge in Central London during the protest
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied A demonstrator is arrested on Waterloo Bridge during the second day of protests
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Activists carry a skeleton along the North Bridge in Edinburgh
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Activists sit in the protests by Parliament Square in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters stand on Waterloo Bridge in Central London during the protests
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters carry giant wasp puppets in the protest by Parliament Square in London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied A protester is arrested on Waterloo Bridge in Central London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Activists take part in the second day of protests on Waterloo Bridge
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Activists wait under a float in the protest in Central London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Waterloo Bridge is covered in graffiti after the protest in Central London
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied APRIL 15: Environmental campaigners block Oxford Circus during a coordinated protest by the Extinction Rebellion group on April 15, 2019 in London, England. With demonstrations blocking a number of locations across the capital, the group aims to stop traffic for up to five days
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Demonstrators lay Ruby the rhinoceros during a Extinction Rebellion protest in Parliament Square in London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday April 15, 2019. Activists have pledged to block five central locations in a non-violent act of resistance and rebellion that campaigners say could go on for weeks
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Environmental campaigners walk across Waterloo Bridge as they take part in a coordinated protest by the Extinction Rebellion group on April 15, 2019 in London, England. With demonstrations blocking a number of locations across the capital, the group aims to stop traffic for up to five days.
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Environmental protesters from the Extinction Rebellion group stage a demonstration in Parliament Square London on April 15, 2019. - Environmental protesters from the Extinction Rebellion campaign group started a programme of demonstrations designed to block five of London's busiest and iconic locations to draw attention to what they see as the "Ecological and Climate Emergency" of climate change.
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Environmental protesters from the Extinction Rebellion group stage a demonstration in Parliament Square London on April 15, 2019. - Environmental protesters from the Extinction Rebellion campaign group started a programme of demonstrations designed to block five of London's busiest and iconic locations to draw attention to what they see as the "Ecological and Climate Emergency" of climate change.
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Demonstrators take part in a 'Funeral Procession' during a climate protest in Parliament Square in London, Monday, April 15, 2019. Extinction Rebellion have organised a nationwide week of action, they are calling for a full-scale Rebellion to demand decisive action from governments on climate change and ecological collapse. They plan to engage in acts of non-violent civil disobedience against governments in capital cities around the world.
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Protesters erect eco-friendly toilets to accompany the growing number of tents around Marble Arch.
International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest in Parliament Square in London. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Monday April 15, 2019. Activists have pledged to block five central locations in a non-violent act of resistance and rebellion that campaigners say could go on for weeks.
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International climate protests enter fourth day: London sites occupied Demonstrators during a Extinction Rebellion protest in Oxford Circus in London
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At Oxford Circus, a pink boat has been parked in the middle of the junction, which is normally full of buses and taxis, to symbolise rising sea levels.
One protester, who gave her name as Sian from Wales, said: ”What we're saying is: we can’t bring it down to individual people. We’ve been getting told for decades that if we all make individual changes in the way we live, that’s going to solve it.
“But it’s going to take a massive, massive spread-out of change, and that’s got to come from government.
“The disruption’s not about causing problems to individual people, even though we know that’s happening.
“It’s a side effect."
The campaigners plan to extend their protest to the capital’s Tube network. The Wifi system in stations has been turned off to prevent protesters coordinating while underground.
A spokesperson for Transport for London said: “We are aware that there are demonstrations taking place across London which may cause disruption to travel.
“The safety of our customers and staff is our number one priority and we’re working closely with the police to manage the impact on London’s transport network.
”We would encourage people to check their journeys before they travel.”
Around 300 protesters have been arrested since the campaign of disruption began.
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