Insulate Britain: Protesters block east London roads

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Police officers carry an Insulate Britain activist during a protest in LondonImage source, Reuters
Image caption,

Police have arrested 52 people, dragging some from the road

Insulate Britain has targeted Canary Wharf in east London as it resumes its roadblock campaign after a pause.

Demonstrators from the environmental group obstructed Limehouse Causeway at 08:20 BST.

About 60 protesters have also targeted nearby Liverpool Street, Bishopsgate and Upper Thames Street.

Police have arrested 52 people, dragging some from the road. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps previously branded activists "glued fools".

Insulate Britain blocked roads on 14 days over five weeks to 14 October, with some protesters gluing their hands to the carriageway to increase the length of time it took for police to remove them.

'Genocide'

The Department for Transport has applied for more than 100 court injunctions covering the national highway network around London and the South East. Breaches of the injunctions could lead to jail terms.

Image source, PA Media
Image caption,

Police are removing protesters who have glued themselves to the ground on Bishopsgate

Demonstrators who superglued their hands to the ground on Monday were removed from the road by officers before being arrested and led to police vehicles.

As she was unglued, one woman said she was "in agony".

Members of the public approached the protesters, with some saying they were "doing a good job".

One of the protesters, Emily, said she had been arrested 14 times for her involvement in demonstrations.

Image source, Insulate Britain
Image caption,

Protesters have targeted Liverpool Street, Limehouse Causeway, Bishopsgate and Upper Thames Street

Another, Tony Hill, 71, said he had travelled from near Kendal in Cumbria to the capital to take part.

He said: "I'm here today out of anger, fear and determination. The anger that my government is failing the people of our country.

"The governments of the world are failing everyone. Everyone says we're at the 11th hour but we're at midnight and nothing substantial is being done by our government and the governments across the world."

In a statement, Insulate Britain said: "We won't stand by while the government kills our kids."

Activist Liam Norton branded the government "treasonous", claiming it had "betrayed" citizens and was leading the country on a path to "genocide".

Insulate Britain, an offshoot of Extinction Rebellion, wants the government to insulate all UK homes by 2030 to cut carbon emissions.

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