Business owners in the capital have bemoaned the fresh hell wrought by climate activists as Extinction Rebellion brought London to a standstill after erecting a giant pink table in the middle of the road.
Hundreds of protesters, carrying chairs with them, are staging a sit-in protest in London’s West End around the huge piece of furniture which has the words ‘Come To The Table’ written on it.
The impromptu stunt – which started just after midday today – has forced police to close off several roads around the area which would normally be thronged with tourists and families sightseeing.
Shop owners, restaurateurs and accountants have been among those to slam the selfish actions of XR activists today as they shared their fury at facing further obstacles on the road to recovery after an already challenging 18-month period.
Mustafa Ahmadi, 37, who runs Star Gifts near to Leicester Square tube station, fears he could lose as much as £10,000 by the end of the week because of the climate change demo.
His gift shop is close to where thousands of XR protesters have set up a giant pink table and occupied a busy road junction in between Leicester Square and Covent Garden.
Mr Ahmadi described the protest as ‘another kick in the teeth’ for local businesses and warned the financial impact could be akin to another lockdown.
He said: ‘It’s like another lockdown because the shop is so quiet. It’s not just me but other businesses around here.
‘The police have many of the roads locked off and so the tourists and families who we would normally see are being kept out. ‘It’s another kick in the teeth. I could lose £10,000 if this carries on to the end of the week.
