(dailystar.co.uk
>Topless activists from Extinction Rebellion have blocked Waterloo Bridge in both directions at London in a protest on International Women's Day.
A group of 31 women created a chain across the bridge as a way to highlight the impact of the climate and ecological emergency on women.
An Extinction Rebellion spokeswoman said:
>"A January 2020 report by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature found that climate breakdown and environmental degradation are driving an increase in violence against women."
She added:
>"The report found that deforestation and the degradation of land mean women have to travel further to collect the things they need, like firewood, and are exposed to violence, rape and abduction when they make these journeys.
>"UN figures indicate that 80% of people displaced by climate change are women."
An activist and former teacher who is part of the protest, who is not named, said:
>"It’s mainly women in poorer countries in the global south that are experiencing the increase in violence but this will be the reality for all women if the climate and ecological crisis continues to go unaddressed."
>“We are here to raise the alarm about what is happening to our sisters around the world and to tell women in the UK the climate and ecological emergency is your issue – it will affect you as a woman if we do not persuade our government to take urgent action starting now.”
Women from all walks of life are attending protests all over the world.
In London today, sex workers have also gone on strike in a bit to fight for their rights, for the decriminalisation of workers.
Activist Juno Mac said: “[Sex workers] have to work enough to get the job security that is denied to them by their employers and the state.
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Build bridges not walls, they said-- swear they won't block the bridges they said.
