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Over 400 people have now been arrested at the Extinction Rebellion protests being held in London. For four days now, protesters have been blocking key roads and landmarks in the capital, including Waterloo Bridge, Vauxhall Bridge, Parliament Square, Marble Arch, Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus.

Their protests are part of a worldwide campaign and there are 80 demonstrations planned in over 30 countries in the next few days.

As with the school strikes we have seen in recent weeks, the protesters are highlighting the need for urgent action on climate change.  They are calling on the UK government to reduce net carbon emissions to zero by 2025 and to set up a citizens' assembly to create a new plan to tackle climate change and the loss of biodiversity.

The protests have been peaceful, although a few protesters arrested for suspected criminal damage have been accused of shattering a revolving door and spraying graffiti at the headquarters of Shell, near Waterloo.  

Activists of all backgrounds and ages, including parents and children, have been travelling to London from all over the country to take part.  The protests show that there is growing awareness that climate change is already affecting us all and that the effects are going to be felt much more deeply in the future unless we all take steps to significantly reduce our carbon emissions.  They are also an expression of people's frustration with the apparent unwillingness of politicians to begin to tackle the problem before it's too late.

Photo:  Triumph0828/depositphotos.com

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