Tower Bridge reopens after Extinction Rebellion protest

Tower Bridge has reopened after an Extinction Rebellion (XR) protest, that saw two activists dangling over the Thames.

The pair used suspension cords to hang from the landmark and unfurl a banner reading, "End fossil fuels now".

Police closed the bridge to traffic during rush hour but cleared protesters by midday, arresting four people.

It comes after eight days of disruption at oil facilities caused by XR and the Just Stop Oil coalition.

Both groups are calling for an end to all new fossil fuel infrastructure as the government reviews its energy security in the wake of the Ukraine war.

Police shut the bridge from 07:30 BST but cleared the protesters by 11:40 BST, escorting them into police vehicles, and re-opening the bridge shortly afterwards.

Commander Umer Khan, for policing operations and security at the City of London Police, said four people were arrested and are in police custody.

An XR statement said: "The action has taken place at the gateway to the City of London - the root source of fossil fuel funding in the UK - and on the eve of the April Rebellion which begins tomorrow at 10am in Hyde Park."

The traffic disruption caused frustration among members of the public, who had to find alternative routes to work.

Ben Hersh, 24, an office worker who regularly uses the bridge to get to work, told the PA news agency: "I know that climate issues are important, but why are we always targeted?

"They need to grow up, stop doing stupid stunts, stop taking aim at regular people and maybe more people would do things to help them and the environment."

Speaking at the scene near Tower Bridge, an Uber driver who referred to himself only as Muhamed Q, 44, said he was worried about losing income.

"My main money source is this and I use this bridge most of the time," he said.

"I have to take longer routes and have less jobs."

London Mayor Sadiq Khan said the protest was "counterproductive".

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