Dramatic moment demonstrators block Billingsgate Fish Market as animal rights activists chain themselves to the front gates stopping deliveries of day’s catch
- Dozens of activists blocked Billingsgate Fish Market for more than an hour
- Protesters chained themselves to railings to stop access to the busy market
- Police made several arrests after protesters refused to vacate the roadway
- The protesters want the government to ban the consumption of meat and fish
Animal rights protesters claim there have been ‘mass arrests’ at their demonstration at a London fish market.
Video footage showed dozens of demonstrators standing outside Billingsgate Fish Market in Poplar in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Animal Rebellion, which aims to ‘end the animal agriculture industry’, has said it is behind the protest.
Police have arrested several Extinction Rebellion demonstrators who held a mass demonstration this morning outside the Billingsgate Fish Market in London
Officers from across London have been involved in the operation to clear the demonstrators
Dozens of activists attempted to block roads stopping access to the famous fish market
The group’s spokesperson, Alex Lockwood, said demonstrators stopped traffic entering the fish market and that one protester locked themselves to the entrance gate.
He claimed 28 people had been arrested as of 7.45am, and that the majority of protesters had since left the area.
A photo posted by the group shows a woman being carried away by three police officers and is accompanied by the caption ‘Mass Arrests at Billingsgate’.
London Metropolitan Police was unable to confirm whether there had been any arrests.
Mr Lockwood said around 200 people took part in the demonstration and gathered at Montgomery Square in Canary Wharf at 2.30am before moving down to the market.
He said: ‘One protester got inside [the market] and locked himself to the entrance gate.
Demonstrators started to gather at 2.30am before some managed to chain themselves to gates at the entrance to the market
Demonstrators managed to prevent traffic entering the market for more than an hour
The demonstrators were from Animal Rebellion, who want the government to ban meat and fish and instead ‘transition to a just, sustainable plant-based food system’
Traffic was disrupted in Poplar after demonstrators blocked the road outside the fish market
‘It meant they had to shut down the site and police then moved in.
‘We then sat down, which was obstructing traffic, and so they started arresting us.’
Mr Lockwood claimed the group stopped traffic from entering the market for about an hour between 5am and 6am.
In a tweet about its ‘vigil’ at the fish market, Animal Rebellion said: ‘So many here, here for the fishes, for the thousands in the market, dead or dying, for the trillions killed this year #friendsnotfood.’
Animal Rebellion describes itself as a ‘mass volunteer movement’ demanding that the Government end the ‘destructive animal farming and fishing industries’.
According to the group’s website, it wants the Government to lead a ‘transition to a just, sustainable plant-based food system’.
The group said it stands in ‘solidarity’ with the climate change campaigners Extinction Rebellion.