Boris Johnson calls Extinction Rebellion protesters 'crusties' and tells them to abandon 'hemp-smelling bivouacs'

Boris Johnson has called on Extinction Rebellion protesters to abandon their "hemp-smelling bivouacs" and stop blocking London streets.

The Prime Minister described the demonstrators demanding action on climate change as "uncooperative crusties" who were holding up the traffic as the group prepared for another day of disruption.

More road closures are expected today as a predicted 30,000 protesters descend on the capital. Parliament Street, Great Smith Street, and Westminster and Lambeth bridges are expected to be heavily affected.

The group, also known as XR, took to the streets in the capital on Monday as part of a fresh "international rebellion", with the Met Police arresting 280 activists.

Mr Johnson took aim at the protesters as he spoke at the launch in London of the third volume of Margaret Thatcher's biography by the former editor of The Daily Telegraph, Charles Moore.

Boris Johnson described those demonstrating on Monday as 'crusties'
POOL/AFP via Getty Images

He said the former prime minister had taken the issue of greenhouse gases seriously long before Greta Thunberg was born.

"I am afraid that the security people didn't want me to come along tonight because they said the road was full of uncooperative crusties and protesters all kinds littering the road," he said.

"They said there was some risk that I would be egged. And so I immediately asked the faint hearts in my private office, 'What would Margaret Thatcher do?'

"If she could take the extraordinary risk of sending a task force halfway around the world through tumultuous seas to recapture the Falklands, I think she would have crossed the road to speak at the Banqueting Hall."

Extinction Rebellion London Protests: October 2019 - In pictures

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He added: "I hope that when we go out from this place tonight and we are waylaid by importunate nose-ringed climate change protesters, we remind them that she was also right about greenhouse gases.

"The best thing possible for the education of the denizens of the heaving hemp-smelling bivouacs that now litter Trafalgar Square and Hyde Park would be for them to stop blocking the traffic and buy a copy of Charles's magnificent book so that they can learn about a true feminist, green and revolutionary who changed the world for the better."

More than 1,000 people were arrested at protests across the capital in April - and XR suggested the fresh wave of action could be five times bigger.

Extinction Rebellion protesters project their sign on the Houses of Parliament in London
PA

Scotland Yard previously said it had been preparing for the latest demonstrations "for several weeks".

In a statement this afternoon, XR said its actions would continue on Tuesday and added: "After decades of petitions and inaction, this is the only way we can get the government to take notice and act."

A spokesman for the group said there would be "major reforestation action" on the second day of protests, with activists hoping to plant "1,000 one-meter-high potted native trees outside the Houses of Parliament".

XR Youth also has action planned tomorrow at the Department of Education.

Camps were being set up on Monday and activists said they had held 11 sites in Westminster.

Protesters had succeeded in bringing sections of London to a standstill with roadblocks on Westminster and Lambeth Bridges, Victoria Street, Whitehall, Horse Guards Road and the Mall.

Extinction Rebellion protesters on Westminster Bridge near to the Houses of Parliament
PA

A number of celebrities also joined the protests in London, including actor Sir Mark Rylance, actress Juliet Stevenson, comedian and author Ruby Wax, and model Daisy Lowe also took part in the demonstrations.

Sir Mark told Extinction Rebellion protesters at St James' Park: "People have been saying to me, it doesn't make a difference having a celebrity joining the protests.

"But I want people to know climate change protesters aren't hippies. I am confident these protests are going to lead to a solid change."

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