Climate protesters arrested as they block road to busy London Bridge

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - Police in London arrested at least 10 climate change protesters on Tuesday after they blocked a main road in the London Bridge area.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in front of the City Hall on Tuesday shortly before they marched to the London Bridge Station. Chanting slogans against the use of fossil fuels, the Extinction Rebellion protesters later continued to march towards the London Bridge entrance.

A separate group blocked the main entrance to the bridge by parking a bus in the middle of the road.

London’s Metropolitan Police officers intervened but failed to move the protesters who started a sit-in. A protester glued himself to the road.

“Officers are responding to a demonstration in #LondonBridge where protestors have assembled and are blocking the road,” police said on Twitter.

“We are currently assessing the situation working to keep disruption in the area to a minimum.”

At least 10 people were seen in handcuffs after the police intervention.

During the last week’s protests, around 300 people were arrested during rallies.

The Extinction Rebellion group says the protests will continue all this week.

The organization's protests began on Monday as thousands demand an end to investment in the fossil fuels driving climate change.

The Extinction Rebellion protests came only two months before the UN climate summit COP26 to be hosted by the UK on Oct. 31-Nov. 12.

World leaders are expected to meet in Glasgow "to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change."

In similar protests from the group in 2019, more than 1,600 people were arrested.