London streets reopen after climate protests

This article is more than 12 months old

Apr 23, 2019 06:00 am

LONDON Some of London's busiest streets reopened yesterday for the first time in a week as climate change protesters regrouped and plotted a new course after police made over 1,000 arrests.

The Extinction Rebellion group, which aims to bring attention to rising temperatures and sea levels caused by greenhouse gas emissions, abandoned four of the five main protests sites over the weekend in response to a more forceful police approach and an outcry from local businesses that claimed a heavy loss in sales.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan warned on Sunday that protests were starting to overstretch the police, limiting their ability to respond to daily crime.

The group retreated yesterday to Marble Arch on the edge of Hyde Park, allowing limited protests to continue without disrupting traffic.

It said its seven-day campaign has helped it raise nearly £300,000 (S$530,000) and gain 30,000 members. - AFP