A man has claimed he was unable to reach his dad's bedside as he lay dying because an Extinction Rebellion protest blocked a road - leaving him stuck in traffic.
Residents in Bristol have reacted with fury after hearing the grieving man's heartbreaking phone interview on live local radio.
The man, trapped in traffic on the M32 into the city, phoned BBC Radio Bristol yesterday afternoon to tell his story.
Extinction Rebellion protests have been causing traffic chaos across Bristol since Monday.
The interview is no longer available online after the motorist asked to remain anonymous.
The clip has even been played to an Extinction Rebellion demonstrator who said she was "incredibly sorry" but said it does not affect her desire to protest.
She said: "We're incredibly sorry, we didn't mean for our protest to affect your life in this way.
"I still believe we are doing the right thing but it's incredibly difficult to hear stories like that."
Local Steve King posted on Facebook : "I've just been listening to BBC Radio Bristol and some poor chap had phoned in about the Extinction Revolution protests.
"His father was seriously ill in Bristol Royal Infirmary. He had a phone call from them to say that his father hadn't got long to live.
"He couldn't be with his father when he died because these protesting t****ts had blocked the M32 and he couldn't get there in time.
"The protesters have completely lost any support I may have had for their message"
Wendy Gilvear wrote: "Out of respect to the gentleman who passed away, and his family they should pack up their protest and go back to their homes and families.
"This might show people that they really do feel sympathy for depriving a son his precious irreplaceable last few minutes with his father."
Sophie Iles wrote: "That's awful. Actually has made me cry. That poor man."
Rachelle Miller wrote: "Poor guy. I was lucky to be with my dad right till his last breath.
"This will be with him for the rest of his life."
The Extinction Rebellion Bristol group then posted on Facebook: "We're very sorry for the immense disruption that we caused to Bristol residents today. Some have not only been inconvenienced but have also been deeply impacted on a personal and emotional level, and it really saddens us.
"We're sending great empathy and love from our community to them.
"Despite this, we were there to cause disruption because our government isn’t acting on the climate and ecological crisis. And it is a crisis - that has very real and immediate human consequences."
Extinction Rebellion protests have been causing traffic chaos across Bristol since Monday.
Demonstrators have targeted key road links around the city - and plan to stay until Friday as part of nationwide protests.
Sixteen protesters have been arrested for blocking the M32.
