Extinction Rebellion protester, 17, who stayed up 115ft crane for two nights before coming down after he ran out of gas for his camping stove is arrested
- Alex Sidney, 17, scaled the crane in Duke Street, Norwich, on Saturday morning
- The teenager camped up there for two nights to protest local highways project
- Extinction Rebellion protester has now come down and been arrested by police
A teenage climate protester who camped at the top of a crane has ended his protest and been taken into police custody.
Alex Sidney, 17, scaled the structure in Duke Street, Norwich, early on Saturday morning and spent two nights at the top before descending at midday on Monday.
Extinction Rebellion Norwich confirmed he had been taken into police custody.
Speaking before he climbed down, the teenager said: ‘Fire officers want to speak to me first, and then I will climb down on my own.’
Alex said he was protesting in the hope that politicians would get behind the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, and that local plans for the Wensum Link Road would be reviewed.
Alex Sidney (pictured) has vowed to stay put on a gantry outside the crane’s cab at 108 feet high, until he has ‘mild hypothermia’
Alex’s crib for the night: The teenager has with him a sleeping bag, cushion, food, water, stove, basic tools and battery packs, along with his phone and a speaker for music
Known locally as the Wensum Link Road, the Norwich Western Link, a new dual carriageway in Norfolk is ‘destroying ancient trees, barbastelle bats, and polluting our protected chalk streams’, he said.
He previously stated he was ‘a bit cold but still in good health’, despite running out of gas for his stove.
One of his banners that was hung from the crane features the Extinction Rebellion logo and a slogan reading ‘beyond f***ed’.
Mr Sidney said yesterday afternoon that he had just over a litre of water and some hard sweets left with him and that he had ‘no idea’ how long he would stay up there.
Extinction Rebellion Norwich said it last spoke to him just before he came down, but have been unable to speak with him since.
The Extinction Rebellion protestor said he will remain on a gantry outside the crane’s cab, for an ‘indefinite’ time. Pictured scaling the crane
Extinction Rebellion Norwich spokesman James Graham said the crane protest went ahead in place of a much larger demonstration which was postponed due to the national lockdown
A spokesman said: ‘Before he came down he was pleased about the reach his action has got across the media, and really hoping politicians might take some action off the back of it.
‘He was tired and hungry, but still enthusiastic as always!’
He spent two nights camped on the gantry outside the crane’s cab, around 115ft (33m) off the ground.
A spokesman for Norfolk police said: ‘A 17-year-old protester who climbed to the top of a crane in Norwich has been arrested.
‘The boy had been at the top of the crane for three days after climbing it on Saturday morning (7 November 2020) around 6.40am.
‘Emergency services attended and have been at the scene since. The incident was safely resolved at about 12.30pm today (9 November 2020).
‘The boy has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, aggravated trespass, breaching COVID-19 regulations and a public order offence. He’s been taken into custody at Wymondham Police Investigation Centre where he will be questioned.’