Police ban Extinction Rebellion’s boats on last day of London protests
Extinction Rebellion’s trademark boats have been banned from London protests on the climate change activists’ last day of planned summer action.
The protesters’ boats – daubed in bright colours and with the group’s signature logo – have grown into a symbol of their disruption in key locations around London.
Read more: The Extinction Rebels seem to care more about capitalism than the climate
The activists pulled the boats around most of their blockades in London over the course of two weeks’ of protests in April, and they have appeared again in action this week.
However, the Metropolitan police today banned the vessels from Extinction’s protests.
“No boat, vehicle or other structure may form part of any procession by Extinction Rebellion or join the procession at any point on its route or at its final location on Friday, 19 July 2019 within the London region,” the Met ordered.
Police cited “information and intelligence” it had received as the basis for this order.
Commander Jane Connors said: “My officers continue to engage with those exercising their right to protest however, we need to balance this with the rights of those wishing to go about their daily lives and action will be taken against those who choose to ignore this condition and/or break the law.”
Today’s demonstrations started with a protest at the capital’s Thames Tideway super-sewer construction site, a £4.2bn project protesters said will cause huge air pollution.
A Tideway spokesperson said: “The super sewer is a vital piece of infrastructure, under construction to clean up the River Thames from sewage pollution.
“We are aware of a protest outside our Chambers Wharf site. The police are in attendance and we are monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of our team and the community to minimise the impact on our vital work to clean up the River Thames.”
Extinction Rebellion has warned it plans to cause even more chaos for Londoners in October than it managed in its April protests.
The fortnight of action saw demonstrators glue themselves to the London Stock Exchange, clamber on top of Docklands Light Railway trains and vandalise Shell’s London offices.
Read more: Extinction Rebellion launches summer uprising across London
The group wants to force the government to take faster action on climate change, such as committing to a zero-carbon economy by 2025.
The government has passed a law that means it must cut net carbon emissions to zero by 2050.
Main image credit: Getty