Extinction Rebellion protest stops son reaching his dying father in hospital – but eco-warrior says ‘we’re still doing the right thing’
AN EXTINCTION Rebellion protester maintained their movement was "doing the right thing" after learning their road blocks prevented a son from seeing his dying dad in hospital.
The eco-warriors launched a five-day "summer uprising" in Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds and London earlier this week by blocking the roads and bring traffic to a standstill.
In Bristol, the lefty mob protested on the M32 leaving a son stuck in traffic unable to reach his dying father yesterday.
He called in to BBC Radio Bristol and his plea was played for Zoe Jones, an Extinction Rebellion protester, who apologised, but defended the movement's actions.
She told BBC Radio Bristol: "We're incredibly sorry. We didn't mean for our protest to affect your life in this way.
"I still believe we are doing the right thing, but it's incredibly difficult to hear stories like that."
Today is the fourth day of the "summer uprising" and Extinction Rebellion is calling for the government to declare a climate emergency.
The climate activists say they are staging a series of "creative acts of civil disobedience", blocking specific locations, bridges and roads.
On Monday Chief Inspector Mark Runacres, an area commander at Avon and Somerset Police, said the force had to resort to cancelling officers' rest days and warned about "the ability of emergency services to respond to incidents".
'CROSSED THE LINE'
When asked if hearing the man's plea made her think differently about what she is doing during this week's protests, Ms Jones reinforced her belief in blocking the roads.
She said: "I guess the reason why we're all here, is for your families, and I shouldn't be here, I shouldn't be standing in the road stopping people from getting to hospital to see their aged father who is on death's door.
"This shouldn't be happening. But we are here and this is the reality and we have to be here.
"It hasn't made me want to stop because I know that this is the right thing to do."
Ms Jones also said it's up to the politicians to listen to their cause so they can get on with their lives.
She added: "I hope that we don't have to do this much longer.
"I really sincerely hope that politicians listen to what we are saying and allow us to get back to work, allow people to get to their hospital appointments, allow them to get on with their lives. That's what we want to happen."
"I'm glad I heard it and it's given me a more rounded view of the protest and of the gravity of the situation we are in ."
We're incredibly sorry. We didn't mean for our protest to affect your life in this way. I still believe we are doing the right thing, but it's incredibly difficult to hear stories like that.
Zoe Jones, Extinction Rebellion
CI Runacres said that the climate change activists blocking the M32 "crossed the line".
He told Bristol Live: “While we have had some protests within the city throughout Monday and Tuesday which have been facilitated, what’s happened on Wednesday has been the closure of the M23 and Newfoundland St by Temple Street and that has caused significant impact to the city.
“It’s certainly crossed the line for us and the council - it’s something we cannot tolerate and accept.
“An operation is now underway to remove those protesters from that location so we can return the traffic flow to normality.”
Throughout the week, colourful boats were unveiled and were named after an environmental activist with the message "Act Now" on it.
Earlier this month, a leaked document revealed the eco-warriors plan to stop flights at London Heathrow with drones this autumn.
The protest group said it will organise "day after day" of chaos across two weeks at Europe's biggest airport in a bid to disrupt flight.
Extinction Rebellion is calling for the government to declare a climate emergency.
Earlier this year, they brought central London to a grinding halt earlier this year with demands for environmental action.
In April, the environment "rebels" launched a range of attention-grabbing tactics to gain headlines, and prompt politicians into taking action to "avoid irreversible climate change and ecological collapse" over the course of 11 days.
The activists brought parts of busy London to a standstill with widespread demonstrations.
They blocked routes around Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, Parliament Square and Waterloo Bridge.
During the eco-warrriors' takeover of the capital, more than a thousand people were arrested.
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