Latest news with #WaterlooBridge
Edinburgh Live
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Famous sites you had no idea were designed and built by women
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The LEGO Group has launched a new campaign, She Built That to inspire society and girls to see themselves as inspiring builders, creators and innovators. A new rendition of Run DMC It's Like That hit brings together stars from Gen Z and Gen Alpha, showing how girls are shaping the world around them. The LEGO Group adorned famous London landmarks with Brick Plaques celebrating the women that created them. The She Built That campaign comes as stats show parents are five times more likely to associate the term 'building' with 'masculinity' (59%) over 'femininity' (10%). Paying homage to the unsung builders of the world, the plaques appear at multiple iconic sites: London landmark Unsung builder(s) Waterloo Bridge Also known as 'The Ladies Bridge' - built by an estimated workforce of 65% women London Aquatics Centre Co-designed by Zaha Hadid The London Eye Co-designed by Julia Barfield The Supreme Court The refurbishment was co-designed by Elsie Owusu Beyond the iconic female-built structures that were commemorated, other notable buildings in the UK include The Shard, of which Roma Agrawal was the Structural Engineer, The Lyric Theatre in Belfast, of which Sheila O'Donnell was an instrumental architect, and The Wales Institute for Sustainable Education (WISE) in Machynlleth, Wales, of which Linda Stevens was the Project Architect. Roma Agrawal, Structural Engineer of Crystal Palace Station and diversity campaigner for women in engineering, said: 'We might not realise it, but young girls are building all the time, even when we think they're not! Whether it's through the development of physical motor skills or creating new games in their head – all these moments aid in growing their building capabilities. As a society, it's crucial that we work together to ensure that girls continue developing this skillset into their adult lives. 'LEGO play was an integral part of my childhood and provided a great foundation for the learning that led to my career. That's why I'm delighted that the LEGO Group is shining the light on the girls that kept building into their womanhood.' Kuran Sharma, Head of Marketing for the UK & Ireland at the LEGO Group, said: 'Our mission to change stereotypes around building starts with showing everyone how women are already shaping the world around them in incredible ways. We hope girls and women will see our Brick Plaques and listen to our new anthem, and be empowered to 'build' in whatever way feels good to them.' Joseph 'Rev Run' Simmons and Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels said: 'Run DMC has always stood for breaking barriers and inspiring change. We're excited to see our classic anthem reimagined as 'She Built That', celebrating the creativity and innovation of girls everywhere. Just as we pushed the limits of hip-hop, we want to inspire a world where every girl recognizes her building power.' The LEGO Group is hosting an immersive pop-up at London's Southbank Centre this aummer. Young girls will be able to take part in a She Built That two-day event, filled with dancing, music, and building. Special brick plaques and prizes will also be awarded to young builders at the event to recognise the next generation of female builders.
Wales Online
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Famous sites you had no idea were designed and built by women
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The LEGO Group has launched a new campaign, She Built That to inspire society and girls to see themselves as inspiring builders, creators and innovators. A new rendition of Run DMC It's Like That hit brings together stars from Gen Z and Gen Alpha, showing how girls are shaping the world around them. The LEGO Group adorned famous London landmarks with Brick Plaques celebrating the women that created them. The She Built That campaign comes as stats show parents are five times more likely to associate the term 'building' with 'masculinity' (59%) over 'femininity' (10%). Paying homage to the unsung builders of the world, the plaques appear at multiple iconic sites: London landmark Unsung builder(s) Waterloo Bridge Also known as 'The Ladies Bridge' - built by an estimated workforce of 65% women London Aquatics Centre Co-designed by Zaha Hadid The London Eye Co-designed by Julia Barfield The Supreme Court The refurbishment was co-designed by Elsie Owusu Beyond the iconic female-built structures that were commemorated, other notable buildings in the UK include The Shard, of which Roma Agrawal was the Structural Engineer, The Lyric Theatre in Belfast, of which Sheila O'Donnell was an instrumental architect, and The Wales Institute for Sustainable Education (WISE) in Machynlleth, Wales, of which Linda Stevens was the Project Architect. Roma Agrawal, Structural Engineer of Crystal Palace Station and diversity campaigner for women in engineering, said: 'We might not realise it, but young girls are building all the time, even when we think they're not! Whether it's through the development of physical motor skills or creating new games in their head – all these moments aid in growing their building capabilities. As a society, it's crucial that we work together to ensure that girls continue developing this skillset into their adult lives. 'LEGO play was an integral part of my childhood and provided a great foundation for the learning that led to my career. That's why I'm delighted that the LEGO Group is shining the light on the girls that kept building into their womanhood.' Kuran Sharma, Head of Marketing for the UK & Ireland at the LEGO Group, said: 'Our mission to change stereotypes around building starts with showing everyone how women are already shaping the world around them in incredible ways. We hope girls and women will see our Brick Plaques and listen to our new anthem, and be empowered to 'build' in whatever way feels good to them.' Joseph 'Rev Run' Simmons and Darryl 'DMC' McDaniels said: 'Run DMC has always stood for breaking barriers and inspiring change. We're excited to see our classic anthem reimagined as 'She Built That', celebrating the creativity and innovation of girls everywhere. Just as we pushed the limits of hip-hop, we want to inspire a world where every girl recognizes her building power.' The LEGO Group is hosting an immersive pop-up at London's Southbank Centre this aummer. Young girls will be able to take part in a She Built That two-day event, filled with dancing, music, and building. Special brick plaques and prizes will also be awarded to young builders at the event to recognise the next generation of female builders.
The Guardian
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Extinction Rebellion may have gone quiet, but climate protest will come roaring back
On 21 April 2019, I was on Waterloo Bridge in London with my younger siblings. Around us were planters full of flowers where there were once cars, and people singing. This was the spring iteration of Extinction Rebellion, when four bridges in London were held by protesters. My siblings, then 14, had been going out on school strike inspired by Greta Thunberg, and wanted to see her speak. We were there for less than a day, but the occupations of bridges and other blockades lasted for 11 days. Tens of thousands of people mobilised in the UK that spring. An estimated 500,000 people were affected by the shutdowns the movement imposed on central London's road networks, and more than 1,000 protesters were arrested in what was then an official part of XR's strategy. The movement won some impressive victories. Its first demand, 'tell the truth', was essentially honoured when the UK became the first country in the world to officially declare a climate emergency, days after the April rebellion ended. The movement also galvanised a sense of urgency among the public. Polling data found that after the April actions 24% of people ranked climate crisis among their top issues, which placed it roughly on par with immigration and the economy, up which from three months before the protests. In 2025, however, the sense of urgency has receded. The public's main concerns when polled are the economy, immigration and health. And mass mobilisations around climate breakdown appear to have stopped. At the same time, it's not as though climate breakdown has been solved. So where has all the energy gone? According to Douglas Rogers, who was an organiser with XR between 2018 and 2021, the beginning of the pandemic was an inflection point. He says things 'were slowing down already' as the movement struggled for funds. Rogers and others were hoping to invest time back in local groups which could each experiment with new strategies, before erupting back to the surface once more. But there were tensions. One major point of disagreement was over the Canning Town action in London – where protesters attempted to disrupt public transport – and the degree to which aggressive disruption was useful. But soon none of this would matter. The virus and lockdown forced a total demobilisation of society, which was devastating for a movement based on mass mobilisation. Some of XR's leadership formed new outfits taking an approach that could be achieved with smaller numbers of committed activists. Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil did riskier direct action, that sometimes danced along the edge of legality. These actions made them world famous; the New York Times ran multiple articles on the group, the long-running sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia parodied their tactics. This success was not without its downsides for the climate movement. The British state began to adapt its legislation to contain dissent from climate protesters – such as making it a criminal offence to have gear that could allow you to 'lock on' to a piece of infrastructure. It is now a world leader in the repression of climate activists, and has used the new anti-protest laws on other groups, like those that contest Britain's involvement in the genocide in Palestine. In addition to the new legislation, the new approach of the Just Stop Oil hardcore proved too much for less committed activists. Graeme Hayes, a reader in political sociology at Aston University, tells me that these movements are 'running out of activists who think three years in prison is a reasonable outcome'. Hayes adds that the increased use of conspiracy charging allows the Crown Prosecution Service and the police to target not just those who carry out a particular direct action, but those who help plan them too. Although XR no longer embraces tactics like smashing windows and prioritises 'attendance over arrests', it has moved towards targeted non-violent actions by small groups against specific targets such as insurance firms that underwrite the fossil-fuel industry. The mass protest era is unlikely to return, as public energy is absorbed by Palestine protests, and the coalition of groups and people that helped make the original actions so big no longer agree on strategy. XR's relative shrinking over the years has led to a fragmentation in the wider climate movement as various alumni move on to new projects. During our chat, Rogers repeatedly uses the adjective 'post-XR' to describe various local initiatives. In Scotland, where Rogers is based, the energy is in Climate Camp, which organises periodic protest camps at sites of fossil-fuel infrastructure. The mass movement of low-engagement protesters has given way to subgroups of committed activists. In the conversations I had with activists for this piece, the sense I got was that this was partly so as not to derail momentum from mass Palestine protests while they were regularly occurring, and partly because there is not yet a strategy for how a new mass climate movement would try to achieve its goals. Others such as XR co-founder Gail Bradbrook are trying to apply the principles of Deep Adaptation and collapsology – in short, forms of collective apocalypse prepping. Projects such as Cooperation Hull, Just Collapse and Lifehouse are trying to build the networks, local democratic cultures and social infrastructure that would enable communities to navigate societal collapse without descending into barbarism. These efforts either rest on the assumption that radical climate action won't happen or are an exercise in bet-hedging in case it doesn't. There is also, at the most radical fringes of climate action, an embrace of sabotage in the fight against climate crisis, though this appears confined to very small groups. Hayes and Rogers both talked about the end of a 'protest cycle'. The end of this cycle has many causes, from the exhaustion of activists to the growing repression of protest by the UK government and the growth of other movements organising against the cost-of-living crisis and the genocide in Gaza. But XR succeeded in bringing hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions internationally, into climate activism and the myriad of smaller – sometimes more radical – groups that emerged in its wake owe much to its mass mobilisations. Climate breakdown continues to worsen and evidence of its impact on the cost of living and connection to imperial violence is becoming more obvious. XR began with a small campaign and exploded into what it became. Someone, somewhere is probably laying the ground for the future of climate politics – the question then is what form will the next surge take? Oliver Haynes is a journalist and co-host of the Flep24 podcast
Daily Mail
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Police called as pro-Palestine protesters disrupt filming of Israeli-born star Gal Gadot's new film in London
Pro-Palestine protestors have once again disrupted filming of Israeli-born Gal Gadot's new film in London. Activists wearing keffiyehs over their faces clanged metal saucepan lids and shouted from megaphones on Waterloo Bridge this morning. Chants of 'Gal Gadot not welcome here' and 'Gal Gadot you can't hide' were heard as the actress was filming for The Runner. Sirens blared out of megaphones as the gathering protestors waved Palestinian flags and dangled a red banner over the railings with 'Stop Starving Gaza ' written in white letters. Gadot, donning a black outfit, could be seen chatting with other crew members as protestors screamed at her from the other side of the bridge: 'Gal Gadot, shame on you.' Scotland Yard officers were called to the area and swiftly moved the protestors away from the area. No arrests were made. The Israeli actress, 40, who served in the IDF, has been vocal in her support of Israel 's invasion of Gaza following the October 7 Hamas attacks. A Pro-Palestine protestor holds up a cardboard sign with the words :'Trash Gadot not welcome in London!' The Runner centres on a high-flying attorney (Gal) who has to race through London to try to save her abducted son. It is being produced by David Kosse via his new London-based production company Rockwood Pictures. Pro-Palestine activists have been repeatedly targeting Gadot's filming in London. The latest rally is the second in eight days with protestors last holding up the set in Moorgate. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: 'Police were called to reports of a small group of protesters on Waterloo Bridge at 8.42am on Sunday, 18 May. 'Officers arrived swiftly and moved them on. No arrests were made.' Last night, Gadot posted a short clip on her Instagram account of her chatting with Israel's Eurovision entrant Yuval Raphael ahead of her taking to the stage. Yuval reposted the video on her account alongside a heart emoji and the message: 'Gal thank you so much!! 'This call made me so much stronger, you are called Wonder Woman for a reason.' Meanwhile, on Tuesday Gadot's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony was hit by warring protestors amid ongoing controversy over her 'woke' film Snow White. The actress, who plays the Evil Queen in the live action remake alongside Rachel Zegler's Snow White, looked delighted as she arrived to receive the accolade - but outside the barriers, drama was unfolding. In dramatic video captured by, police were seen running after a member of the public amid claims 'a pro-Palestine protestor stole a pro-Israel protester's flag.' Pro-Palestine protestors had gathered outside the ceremony carrying signs reading: 'Heroes fight like Palestinians' and 'Viva Viva Palestina.' Israeli actress Gadot who formerly served in the IDF - is staunchly pro-Israel. The unidentified man was seen being grabbed by police and pushed against a wall, as screams rang out from the crowd. Recent claims emerged that a feud was brewing between Gadot and Zegler - who is pro-Palestine - over their opposing stances on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Zegler was tellingly not in attendance at the ceremony. Gadot seemed unaware of the altercation unfolding outside as she posed with her husband Jaron Varsano and their four daughters, as well as Fast & Furious co-star Vin Diesel and Wonder Woman director Patti Jenkins. In an interview published Tuesday with Variety, Gadot spoke about how she felt compelled to speak out on politics after the October 7 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel. She said: 'After October 7th [2023], I don't talk politics — because who cares about the celebrity talking about politics? I'm an artist. I want to entertain people. I want to bring hope and be a beacon of light whenever I say anything about the world. 'But on October 7th, when people were abducted from their homes, from their beds, men, women, children, elderly, Holocaust survivors, were going through the horrors of what happened that day, I could not be silent. 'I'm not a hater. I'm a grandchild of a Holocaust survivor who came to Israel and established his family from scratch after his entire family was erased in Auschwitz. And on the other side of my family, I'm eighth generation Israeli. I'm an indigenous person of Israel. 'I am all about humanity and I felt like I had to advocate for the hostages. I am praying for better days for all,' she continues. 'I want everybody to have good life and prosperity, and the ability to raise their children in a safe environment.'
The Independent
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Watch live: Pro-Palestine protesters in London mark Nakba 77th anniversary
Watch live from central London as a pro- Palestine protest takes place in the city on Saturday, 17 May. The march is taking place on the 77th anniversary of the Nakba. Meaning 'catastrophe' in Arabic, Nakba is the name Palestinians give to the violent displacement of an estimated 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and villages during the fighting surrounding the creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948, which resulted in the permanent displacement of more than half the Palestinian population, according to the UN. Ahead of the event, the Metropolitan Police set out Public Order Act conditions in place for the protest, highlighting areas on a London map where attendees must remain. Participants were told to follow the route agreed with the Met, who said the protest should end at 6pm. A counter-demonstration organised by "Stop The Hate" is expected to gather on the Strand at the north end of Waterloo Bridge. This group was told to remain in a specific area of the Strand by the Met.
