Irate Jim Davidson fumes while he’s stuck in traffic as climate change activists block London roads

Jim Davidson was among thousands of drivers caught in traffic chaos today as he accused climate change activists who shut roads and bridges of adding to pollution.

Members of the Extinction Rebellion started ‘swarming roadblocks’ to stop vehicles trying to cross the River Thames at Lambeth, Vauxhall and Tower bridges in London.

A group of protesters shut down the Elephant and Castle roundabout in South London and comedian Mr Davidson’s Volvo was in the heart of the gridlock.

After getting out of the queues, 64-year-old comedian Davidson tweeted: ‘London is f***ed’

This is the group causing chaos on the Elephant and Castle roundabout in South London today - including for Mr Davidson, who was on his way to Folkestone for a gig

This is the group causing chaos on the Elephant and Castle roundabout in South London today – including for Mr Davidson, who was on his way to Folkestone for a gig

Tower Bridge was also targeted by a swarming roadblock of activists - but police have not arrested anyone over the problems they caused

Tower Bridge was also targeted by a swarming roadblock of activists – but police have not arrested anyone over the problems they caused

In a rant out of his window, the 64-year-old comedian called them ‘a bunch of horrid people’ and declared: ‘There’s more pollution because of them now’.

The star, who has a gig in Folkestone tonight, was approached by a protester but told him ‘he didn’t talk to lefties’ – before joking: ‘Climate change. Don’t they like being warmer?’

He told the BBC: ‘What a bunch of horrid people. There’s more pollution going on because of them now. I’ve got no sympathy for them whatsoever.

‘What good does it do? You’ve got working class people trying to get about. Everyone’s got to go miles. Have a look at this.

‘Where’s (Jeremy) Corbyn? He should be here. He looks like an environmental disaster in a duffle coat’. After getting out of the queues, he later tweeted: ‘London is f***ed’. 

On Saturday hundreds of people descended on the capital for the Extinction Rebellion climate change protest. 

A motorist drives through the protest at the Minories near Tower Bridge in London today

A motorist drives through the protest at the Minories near Tower Bridge in London today

Police attend on motorbikes as protestors coordinate swarming roadblocks at Vauxhall Bridge

Police attend on motorbikes as protestors coordinate swarming roadblocks at Vauxhall Bridge

Organisers called the long queues in London they caused an 'experiment' and insisted anyone who 'needed to go' would be let through

Organisers called the long queues in London they caused an ‘experiment’ and insisted anyone who ‘needed to go’ would be let through

Climate protesters from the Extinction Rebellion group hold placards and banners as they block traffic in Elephant and Castle in South London today

Climate protesters from the Extinction Rebellion group hold placards and banners as they block traffic in Elephant and Castle in South London today

Scotland Yard arrested 85 people who were predominantly detained for breaches of the Highways Act, following staged sit-ins on five bridges crossing the Thames.

Other arrests were made for offences under the Bail Act. A Scotland Yard spokesman told MailOnline that as of 2pm today there had been no arrests.

Many Londoners caught up in the chaos were unimpressed, with Sarah Maynard tweeting: ‘Landed in London almost four hours ago. Not home yet. Elephant and Castle is a joke.’

Jonathan Caine added: ‘Is it too much to ask the Metropolitan Police that people in London might be able to travel to work unhindered tomorrow and not face traffic gridlock caused by people blocking the city’s bridges?’

And Mark Siddall tweeted: ‘Half an hour late for work thanks to traffic from climate change protests at Elephant and Castle.’

But Samuel Stockley said: ‘Londoners complaining about how annoying it is to be inconvenienced by Extinction Rebellion are I think severely overlooking just how annoying and inconvenient an under-water London would be.’ 

Protesters from the Extinction Rebellion group hold banners at Elephant and Castle today

Protesters from the Extinction Rebellion group hold banners at Elephant and Castle today

Extinction Rebellion protesters hold up lorries and buses at Lambeth Bridge in London today

Extinction Rebellion protesters hold up lorries and buses at Lambeth Bridge in London today

Traffic tries to make its way across Lambeth Bridge today as protestors coordinate roadblocks

Traffic tries to make its way across Lambeth Bridge today as protestors coordinate roadblocks

One of the organisers, Ronan McNern, said several ‘teams’ of 20 or activists moving around London to stop traffic.

He told the Guardian: ‘The lights go red, they go into and sit down in the road, wait seven minutes. If anybody needs to get past, we’ll let them through. 

‘Come off after seven minutes, take a break, let the angry drivers at the front go, then the light goes red and you go on again. 

‘This is about causing economic disruption by slowing things down, bringing things to a gridlock. This is an experiment, really. I think that’s the most important word.’

Saturday’s action saw bands and speakers address crowds on Lambeth, Westminster, Waterloo, Blackfriars and Southwark bridges as part of a ‘rebellion day’.

Campaign group Extinction Rebellion warns that the planet is facing an ‘ecological emergency’ and wants government action to reduce carbon emissions. 

Climate protesters cause chaos at the Elephant and Castle roundabout this afternoon

Climate protesters cause chaos at the Elephant and Castle roundabout this afternoon

Extinction Rebellion protestors coordinate the roadblocks near the Tower of London today

Extinction Rebellion protestors coordinate the roadblocks near the Tower of London today

Extinction Rebellion brought traffic to a standstill in London, including near Tower Bridge

Extinction Rebellion brought traffic to a standstill in London, including near Tower Bridge

One organiser on Saturday warned of starvation in the UK if there is no change to environmental policy.

Gail Bradbrook said: ‘We could easily be facing starvation in the UK if the weather effect continues as it is. We need to be building resilience in our communities.’

Dr Bradbrook added: ‘We’ve basically got three demands – one is that the Government have to tell the truth.

‘People think that climate change is something happening to somebody else at some other time but it’s coming home.

‘We need to go to net zero carbon really quickly. And we’re also asking for a people’s assembly so people can decide how the change happens.

‘We’ll know when governments are doing different things, it could feel like a war, a beautiful war. It’s going to be huge.’ 

The bridges event followed on from a series of protests carried out by activists in the past week.

On Monday, 22 people were arrested after protesters blocked traffic and glued themselves to entry gates at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Last Wednesday, more activists were detained following action near Downing Street and at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in Westminster.

Today’s incident came days after Davidson sparked outrage after telling an audience: ‘Women were only put on this planet to be f***ed by men’.

The 65-year-old former Generation Game host made the comment while talking about the #MeToo movement at a sold-out show in Redruth, Cornwall.

Witnesses told of a sharp intake of breath among the audience on Friday as Davidson made the comments and sympathised with disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein.

He also joked during the performance – part of his 27-date On The Road Again tour – that members of the LGBT+ community should still be called ‘poofs’.

In addition, Davidson said he believed his portrayal by critics as a racist and sexist man was unfair – and argued that the point of jokes was to make fun of other people.

Davidson’s show was steeped in controversy from the offset, after the 2014 Celebrity Big Brother winner nearly cancelled two days before the show.

He did not like reports that a number of people from Cornwall did not want him to return to the area – but changed his mind and the show eventually went ahead.

And there was further drama during the event when Davidson brought the first half to an abrupt halt after a drunken fight broke out in the auditorium. 



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