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@Fox
To be fair the water level pontoon is owned and operated by a charity, Shadwell Basin Outdoor Activities Centre (SBOAC).
When they first installed a new pontoon gate and lock to stop people accessing the water from the pontoon someone used an angle grinder to cut through the new gate.
The pontoon is pontoon is for emergency access, use by disabled accessing the charity's activities and sailing sessions. It's thin concrete on top and can safely take about 30 people, at times there have been more like 80 on it. It's held by chains and ropes but there has been movement in the structure as a result of so many people using it.
There is a real risk that the pontoon will become overloaded with swimmers and topple over and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say that people might die if this happens. There is then a very real risk that this small charity gets sued for not preventing access to their pontoon.
SBOAC didn't create this problem, people who insist on swimming in the basin despite being told not to do so and that it is dangerous created the problem.