The London Minute ⏰ Weekend edition 28 - 30 June 2024
Pride parade weekend, police raid Hackney Just Stop Oil soup night, BrewDog EDL row, green light for tallest building + how to make new friends in London
🌞 Good morning London. Here’s Friday’s London Minute.
🚨 Six people were arrested at a Just Stop Oil soup night in Hackney last night. Police claim campaigners were planning ways to disrupt airports this summer. The Met Police released this statement around 9pm: “We know Just Stop Oil plan to disrupt airports and thousands of holidaymakers this summer. All the arrests were under a section of the Public Order Act which makes it illegal to conspire to disrupt national infrastructure. We continue to work with airport operators and others to prevent significant disruption.”
⮑ In an Eventbrite listing, organisers described the ‘From Roads to Runways’ event at Haggerston Community Centre: “Just Stop Oil will be taking action at airports this summer. It will be a historic event that will define the climate movement, on a scale of unprecedented disruption. Most excitingly of all, this disruption will be INTERNATIONAL, as ordinary people will be taking action at major airports around the world. Come to the talk to learn how you can make history and stand in solidarity with people from all over the world as we fight for our future together.” - Here’s a video of the arrests:
🚄 Travellers in west London, including music fans heading to Glastonbury Festival, faced long delays yesterday after a person was hit by a train. All lines were closed between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport as well as to Reading. - Jacob Phillips, The Standard.
🗳️ Local political candidates faced ‘tough questions’ at yesterday’s BBC Radio London election debate. - You can listen back here and the event’s key takeaways are here.
🍻 An Asian BrewDog employee has been sacked after raising concerns about the presence of the EDL on the day of a far-right rally. A BrewDog spokesperson confirmed: ‘We stand by our decision’. - Taj Ali, Tribune.
🏙️ A decision on the proposed ‘1 Undershaft’ skyscraper is due next week. It would become the tallest building in the City of London - as high as the Shard across the Thames. Planning officers are recommending approval of the plans at next week’s planning committee meeting, reports Jonathan Prynn in The Standard.
🚇 A 101-year-old London Underground passenger was dragged along a platform after her unzipped coat became trapped in a closing door. The woman survived, but a new Rail Accident Investigation Branch report has made recommendations for London Underground, including considering technology to detect when thin objects are trapped in doors. - Amy Walker, BBC News London.
🏗️ Accommodation for 400+ students could be built above Southwark Tube Station. - James Hatts, LondonSE1.
🪧 ‘Peckham is not for sale’ was among the slogans chanted by around 100 angry residents protesting outside the Aylesham Centre, fighting against what they said were ‘misleading’ regeneration plans. - Isabel Ramirez, Southwark News.
🏳️🌈 Saturday’s free Pride in London festival will see six stages dotted around the city, with singer Bebe Rexha headlining the Trafalgar Square. - See each stage line up here.
⮑ Possible strike action (reported in The Standard this morning) could affect those using the Tube tomorrow, as TfL warned Pride-goers to make extra time for travel (BBC), warning: "Services and stations in central London will be particularly busy and people may need to queue before being able to board a train". Here’s Saturday’s parade route:
👋 How do you make friends in London? There’s a lively debate on the city’s Reddit forum just now about it. Things get pretty deep, but there are some practical and creative suggestions beyond the usual ones. - The thread is titled: ‘True and deep friendships in London are becoming impossible’.
🍽️ ‘The 8 best new London restaurant openings in July’, including a duo of valiant vegan joints and a massive east London food market. - Leonie Cooper, Time Out.
👀 Here’s Londonist’s guide to the weekend.
🎨 A new community art project starts in Brixton today, aiming to revive and create new murals around the neighbourhood. Local artists are invited to participate in Impact Brixton’s initiative at this link.
🎨 Lot of Serpentine Pavilion activity recently. The gallery’s Park Nights series begins this evening and Saturday with a special performance from Eun-Me Ahn and Company. And it’s been announced that Yayoi Kusama's largest 'Pumpkin' sculpture to date will land by the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens on 9 July, which is only two Tuesdays away.
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