Climate-change protesters disrupt London rush hour, angering commuters

(Reuters News, 17 Oct 2019) The Extinction Rebellion group actions prompted angry scenes and arrests as commuters confronted protesters blocking their journey to work.

Climate-change activists disrupted rail services in London on Thursday, sparking a clash between angry commuters and a protester who had climbed onto the roof of a London Underground train during rush hour.

Extinction Rebellion is in the second week of a fresh civil disobedience campaign that has targeted government buildings, a local airport and financial institutions such as BlackRock to highlight the threat posed by global warming.

Protesters said they wanted to draw attention to the widespread loss of human life, mass extinction of species and threat to food supplies foreseen by scientists unless the world moves to cut carbon emissions and restore collapsing ecosystems.

"I'm doing this primarily for my grandchildren," said Phil Kingston, 83, who had glued himself to a Docklands Light Railway train at Shadwell station in east London, and has been arrested multiple times at previous protests. "I'm just here to ring an alarm bell, to wake people up and say please open your eyes."

The plan to halt trains was opposed by many Extinction Rebellion activists who feared that it would undermine public sympathy among Londoners, already sharply divided over the group's disruptive strategy.

Footage showed protesters unfurling a banner on top of a stationary London Underground carriage at Canning Town before commuters on a crowded platform began shouting insults and pelting one of them with food.

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Reuters News, 17 Oct 2019: Climate-change protesters disrupt London rush hour, angering commuters