Extinction Rebellion Cause Chaos As They Shut Down Tower Bridge During Rush Hour

Extinction Rebellion protesters have blocked the Tower Bridge in London in both directions during rush hour.

The activists - who are protesting against the 'funding of fossil fuels' brought traffic to a standstill at around 7.30am today (Friday 8 April).

Footage shows a protester abseiling to hang up a banner calling on the government to 'end fossil fuels now'.

Watch here:

Police have been forced to close the road.

Extinction Rebellion activist Amy Rugg-Easey, who is taking part in the action today, 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.

"When I volunteered during the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow last year, I learnt from members of indigenous communities from the Amazon rainforest that companies destroying their home are doing it to extract oil, and some of the indigenous environmental campaigners had been killed while defending their home.

"Some of the banks and companies continuing to fund, insure and endorse these projects are based here in London, where those communities cannot reach them, but I can, so I will do what I can to help."

While many people sympathise with the group's cause, a lot of their stunts attract widespread condemnation.

Even within the movement there have been many divisions over the years, as detailed in new documentary Rebellion, which landed on Netflix last Friday (1 April). 

Former member Farhana Yamin told LADbible why she decided to leave the group.

She said: "I found the tensions – and the ways in which the movement then did go down a certain set of tracks – very upsetting, and we see that in the film.

"I didn't want to be involved with a bunch of people, frankly, who found it difficult to listen to good advice."

Such advice, she explained, included not needlessly generating an ‘adverse’ response from the general public or authorities, which is something the group has come under fire for a number of times in the past. 

She added: "I think you have to really be more strategic and know what are the objectives and how far you can push the system. I think some actions you can anticipate very well will have an adverse reaction."

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