Climate change activists blocked roads and vandalised the headquarters of Shell yesterday as protests organised by the Extinction Rebellion group continued.
Thousands of people joined the demonstrations across central London as campaigners parked a pink boat at Oxford Circus and blocked Waterloo Bridge, Marble Arch, Piccadilly Circus and roads around Parliament Square. Police arrested 52 protesters.
At the Shell HQ, a glass revolving door was shattered and two activists climbed above the entrance, writing “Shell knew” and “Shell knows” on the building. A protestor who glued himself to the building's revolving door said: “Shell has known about the impact the fossil fuel industry is having on our planet for decades. They've done nothing but deceive, lie and undermine any efforts at transition to renewables.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Extinction Rebellion is calling on the UK government to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2025 and form a citizens’ assembly to urgently tackle climate breakdown and biodiversity loss. It is part of a global campaign, with demonstrations planned in 80 cities across 33 countries in the coming days.
In response, the Metropolitan police has arrested demonstrators after issuing an order under section 14 of the Public Order Act, which allows conditions to be imposed on “public processions” and “public assemblies”. However, demonstrators said the arrests were being made at a gradual rate.
Commenting on the protestors’ tactics, one of the environmentalist movement’s leaders said: “Suddenly what Extinction Rebellion has done is actually say: ‘we are doing this.’ And the state is so weak through austerity that they can’t stop us.”
Several major roads in the capital were brought to a standstill with roads gridlocked in surrounding streets. The AA said the disruption had been significant.
Extinction Rebellion says their actions are based on research into how to use “non-violent civil disobedience to achieve radical change”.
The group has written to Theresa May, warning that the group will escalate its disruptive actions over the coming days and weeks unless the government acts on its demands.
-
Grokipedia: Elon Musk’s Wikipedia ‘rip-off’Talking Point AI-powered online encyclopaedia seeks to tell a ‘new version of the truth’
-
7 sweet experiences for chocolate loversThe Week Recommends Treat yourself with chocolate experiences, both internal and external
-
Scientists have developed a broad-spectrum snake bite antivenomUnder the radar It works on some of the most dangerous species
-
How climate change poses a national security threatThe explainer A global problem causing more global problems
-
The Earth is getting darkerUnder the radar The planet’s reflectivity is out of whack
-
Scientists want to use enhanced rock weathering to cool the EarthUnder the radar Rock dust could trap atmospheric carbon
-
Icarus programme – the ‘internet of animals’The Explainer Researchers aim to monitor 100,000 animals worldwide with GPS trackers, using data to understand climate change and help predict disasters and pandemics
-
China vows first emissions cut, sidelining USSpeed Read The US, the world’s No. 2 emitter, did not attend the New York summit
-
How clean-air efforts may have exacerbated global warmingUnder the Radar Air pollution artificially cooled the Earth, ‘masking’ extent of temperature increase
-
Earth's seasons are out of whackUnder the radar The seasons' unfixed nature in different regions of the planet may have impacted biodiversity and evolution
-
When does autumn begin?The Explainer The UK is experiencing a 'false autumn', as climate change shifts seasonal weather patterns
