Topless activists from Extinction Rebellion blocked Waterloo Bridge in London on International Women’s Day.

On Sunday, a group of 31 women formed a human chain across Waterloo Bridge to “highlight the disproportionate impact of the climate and ecological emergency on women”.

The activists said they chose the location – otherwise known as The Ladies’ Bridge – because many of the welders, stonemasons and labourers that built it during the Second World War were women.

The women taking part in the protest were topless to symbolise the vulnerability of women around the world in the face of climate breakdown, and had the words “climate rape”, “climate murder”, “climate abuse”, “climate inequality” and “climate justice” written on their bodies.

In a Facebook page for the event, the organisation stated it believes it will be women who disproportionately suffer from the effects of the climate crisis.

The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Show all 20 1 /20 The best placards from #March4Women 2020 The best placards from #March4Women 2020 LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Thousands of protesters march with placards from the House of Parliament to Trafalgar Square during the March4Women event on March 4, 2018 in London, England. Demonstrators will march through central London today with calls for an end to gender-based discrimination in the workplace. The event celebrates the upcoming International Women's Day, on March 8th, and marks 100 years since the first women in the UK gained the right to vote. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 A woman holds a placard as demonstrators attend the "March4Women" during the International Women's Day in London on March 8, 2020. - Many feminist groups held online campaigns instead of street marches, using hashtags such as #FemaleStrike, #PowerUp and #38InternationalWomensDay to raise awareness of gender inequality. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Demonstrators attend the "March4Women" during the International Women's Day in London on March 8, 2020. - Many feminist groups held online campaigns instead of street marches, using hashtags such as #FemaleStrike, #PowerUp and #38InternationalWomensDay to raise awareness of gender inequality. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Demonstrators attend the "March4Women" during the International Women's Day in London on March 8, 2020. - Many feminist groups held online campaigns instead of street marches, using hashtags such as #FemaleStrike, #PowerUp and #38InternationalWomensDay to raise awareness of gender inequality. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 People hold placards as they take part in a gender equality march along the river Thames organised by CARE Internationals #March4Women campaign in London on March 5, 2017 to mark the upcoming March 8 International Womens Day. / AFP PHOTO / CHRIS J RATCLIFFE (Photo credit should read CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Women wave placards on Tower Bridge as they take part in a gender equality march organised by CARE Internationals #March4Women campaign in London on March 5, 2017 to mark the upcoming March 8 International Womens Day. / AFP PHOTO / CHRIS J RATCLIFFE (Photo credit should read CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Demonstrators attend the "March4Women" during the International Women's Day in London on March 8, 2020. - Many feminist groups held online campaigns instead of street marches, using hashtags such as #FemaleStrike, #PowerUp and #38InternationalWomensDay to raise awareness of gender inequality. (Photo by Tolga Akmen / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Hundreds of protesters gather with placards outside the House of Parliament during the March4Women event on March 4, 2018 in London, England. Demonstrators will march through central London today with calls for an end to gender-based discrimination in the workplace. The event celebrates the upcoming International Women's Day, on March 8th, and marks 100 years since the first women in the UK gained the right to vote. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Hundreds of protesters gather with placards outside the House of Parliament during the March4Women event on March 4, 2018 in London, England. Demonstrators will march through central London today with calls for an end to gender-based discrimination in the workplace. The event celebrates the upcoming International Women's Day, on March 8th, and marks 100 years since the first women in the UK gained the right to vote. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Women wave placards on Tower Bridge as they take part in a gender equality march organised by CARE Internationals #March4Women campaign in London on March 5, 2017 to mark the upcoming March 8 International Womens Day. / AFP PHOTO / CHRIS J RATCLIFFE (Photo credit should read CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 People hold placards as they take part in a gender equality march along the river Thames organised by CARE Internationals #March4Women campaign in London on March 5, 2017 to mark the upcoming March 8 International Womens Day. / AFP PHOTO / CHRIS J RATCLIFFE (Photo credit should read CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 People hold placards as they take part in a gender equality march along the river Thames organised by CARE Internationals #March4Women campaign in London on March 5, 2017 to mark the upcoming March 8 International Womens Day. / AFP PHOTO / CHRIS J RATCLIFFE (Photo credit should read CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 British muscian Annie Lennox (C) and London Mayor Sadiq Khan (R) hold a banner as they lead a gender equality march organised by CARE Internationals #March4Women campaign in London on March 5, 2017 to mark the upcoming March 8 International Womens Day. / AFP PHOTO / CHRIS J RATCLIFFE (Photo credit should read CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Thousands of protesters march with placards from the House of Parliament to Trafalgar Square during the March4Women event on March 4, 2018 in London, England. Demonstrators will march through central London today with calls for an end to gender-based discrimination in the workplace. The event celebrates the upcoming International Women's Day, on March 8th, and marks 100 years since the first women in the UK gained the right to vote. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 08: Raye during the #March4Women 2020 rally at Southbank Centre on March 08, 2020 in London, England. The event is to mark International Women's Day. (Photo by Lia Toby/Getty Images) Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Demonstrators attend the "March4Women" during the International Women's Day in London on March 8, 2020. - Many feminist groups held online campaigns instead of street marches, using hashtags such as #FemaleStrike, #PowerUp and #38InternationalWomensDay to raise awareness of gender inequality. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 English actress Natalie Dormer (2nd-R) and others activists walk behind a banner as demonstrators attend the "March4Women" during the International Women's Day in London on March 8, 2020. - Many feminist groups held online campaigns instead of street marches, using hashtags such as #FemaleStrike, #PowerUp and #38InternationalWomensDay to raise awareness of gender inequality. (Photo by Tolga AKMEN / AFP) (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 Women wave placards on Tower Bridge as they take part in a gender equality march organised by CARE Internationals #March4Women campaign in London on March 5, 2017 to mark the upcoming March 8 International Womens Day. / AFP PHOTO / CHRIS J RATCLIFFE (Photo credit should read CHRIS J RATCLIFFE/AFP via Getty Images) AFP via Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Thousands of protesters march with placards from the House of Parliament to Trafalgar Square during the March4Women event on March 4, 2018 in London, England. Demonstrators will march through central London today with calls for an end to gender-based discrimination in the workplace. The event celebrates the upcoming International Women's Day, on March 8th, and marks 100 years since the first women in the UK gained the right to vote. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images The best placards from #March4Women 2020 LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 04: Hundreds of protesters gather with placards outside the House of Parliament during the March4Women event on March 4, 2018 in London, England. Demonstrators will march through central London today with calls for an end to gender-based discrimination in the workplace. The event celebrates the upcoming International Women's Day, on March 8th, and marks 100 years since the first women in the UK gained the right to vote. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images) Getty Images

A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion 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.

“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 per cent of people displaced by climate change are women.”

The activists at Waterloo Bridge called on women in the UK to recognise the climate crisis will soon be “a reality faced by all women if decisive action is not taken”.

Sarah Mintram, a former teacher who took part in the protest, 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.”

The protesters later joined the events organised by Women’s Strike Assembly at Oxford Circus.