Climate Chaos at 200 Feet: Two Just Stop Oil protesters sparked chaos by climbing the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge masts over the Thames, shutting down the vital toll bridge between Essex and Kent for over 36 hours.
Dartford Bridge Drama
Morgan Trowland, 39, and Marcus, 33, a teacher, dangled more than 200 feet above the River Thames from the bridge’s towering masts. Police confirmed the protesters scaled the landmark in the early hours of Monday, triggering a full closure of the key route connecting Essex and Kent.
Authorities brought in a specialist raised platform on Tuesday to reach the duo and negotiate their safe removal. By 5pm, the pair announced the end of their stunt, claiming a “successful disruption of oil supplies to Kent and the South East for 36 hours.”
Protesters Defiant Despite Arrest
After being hauled down and arrested, the activists remained defiant. “We are stepping down now, but other supporters of Just Stop Oil will be stepping up day after day, causing disruption and putting their liberty on the line,” said the London-based couple.
Morgan insisted the disruption was justified, telling Sky News: “Many will be angry, but look at history. The Suffragettes and Martin Luther King were once reviled too. Only direct action can spark the social tipping point we need.”
Commuters Face Chaos and Climate Crisis
Commuters endured long delays as the standoff dragged on. When pressed about the disruption, Morgan said: “I know it’s frustrating, but think about the 33 million people in Pakistan displaced by floods caused by the climate crisis, fuelled by oil and gas developed here in Britain. I’m not sorry for trying to protect my people’s land.”
More Protests to Come
Just Stop Oil vows to ramp up “nonviolent civil disobedience” this autumn until the government scraps new oil and gas licences it calls “a death sentence.”
Essex Police revealed officers rushed to the bridge at 3.50am Monday after reports of the daring climb. Morgan admitted he nearly “bottled it” on the first step but pushed through.
The bridge remains closed as National Highways decide when to reopen the critical route. The protest has once again thrown the spotlight on the battle between environmental activists and the UK’s energy policies.
