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Extinction Rebellion activists defy London-wide protest ban Extinction Rebellion activists defy London-wide protest ban
(32 minutes later)
Extinction Rebellion protests are continuing in London despite police ordering activists to end their gatherings across the capital or risk arrest. Extinction Rebellion climate protesters have promised to continue their mass civil disobedience campaign in London despite a city-wide ban on their demonstrations announced late on Monday night.
On Tuesday morning, the group’s co-founder, Gail Bradbrook, was arrested after climbing the entrance to the Department for Transport in Westminster. Extinction Rebellion (XR) said other protesters had glued themselves to the building. Hundreds of police officers moved in almost without warning to clear protesters who remained at the movement’s camp in Trafalgar Square on Monday night.
It said activists were calling on the government to explain its plan to meet its net-zero emissions target within the carbon budget of the UK. The crackdown, which was condemned by campaigners and politicians, came shortly after the Met issued a revised section 14 order on Monday stating that “any assembly linked to the Extinction Rebellion ‘autumn uprising’ … must now cease their protests within London” by 9pm.
The protesters’ latest actions came after the Metropolitan police imposed conditions under section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, requiring any protest assembly in the capital to cease by 9pm on Monday. However, by 8am on Tuesday it was clear the climate campaigners had no intention of backing down as one of the organisation’s founders, Gail Bradbrook, led a protest at the Department for Transport in London.
The force said this was to “prevent serious disruption to the life of the community”. Standing on top of the entrance of the building before she was arrested, Bradbrook called on ministers to explain how their continued expansion of roads and airports fitted with a net-zero emissions target. “I do this for the beautiful pear tree at Cubbington Woods, 250 years old – they have no rights. I do this in fierce love of the 108 ancient woodlands threatened by HS2, this climate crime of a project. I do this in the spirit of what Emmeline Pankhurst called the noble art of window smashing.”
On Monday evening, activists were cleared from Trafalgar Square in central London, where many had lawfully congregated for the past week. The group has brought widespread disruption to parts of central London over the past week to highlight the growing climate and ecological emergency. It has drawn support from scientists, doctors, grandparents and religious leaders – many of whom are among more than 1,400 people who have been arrested so far.
In response to the police action, an XR statement said its “rebels” would take “a moment to pause and remember why we are here”. The group has three demands: for the UK government to tell the truth about the climate and ecological emergency; for it to adopt a target of zero carbon by 2025; and for the government to set up a citizens’ assembly to decide future policy on the environment.
It added: “Extinction Rebellion will let the Trafalgar Square site go tonight. The international rebellion continues.”
The UK group of Extinction Rebellion has three core demands:The UK group of Extinction Rebellion has three core demands:
1) Tell the truthThe government must tell the truth about the scale of the ecological crisis by declaring a climate emergency, “working with other groups and institutions to communicate the urgent need for change”.1) Tell the truthThe government must tell the truth about the scale of the ecological crisis by declaring a climate emergency, “working with other groups and institutions to communicate the urgent need for change”.
2) Net zero emissions by 2025The UK must drastically cut its greenhouse gas emissions, hitting net zero by 2025.2) Net zero emissions by 2025The UK must drastically cut its greenhouse gas emissions, hitting net zero by 2025.
3) Citizens’ assemblyThe government must create a citizens’ assembly to hear evidence and devise policy to tackle the climate crisis. Citizens’ assemblies bring together ordinary people to investigate, discuss and make recommendations on how to respond, in this case, to the ecological emergency.3) Citizens’ assemblyThe government must create a citizens’ assembly to hear evidence and devise policy to tackle the climate crisis. Citizens’ assemblies bring together ordinary people to investigate, discuss and make recommendations on how to respond, in this case, to the ecological emergency.
In the US activists have added a further demand: “A just transition that prioritises the most vulnerable and indigenous sovereignty [and] establishes reparations and remediation led by and for black people, indigenous people, people of colour and poor communities for years of environmental injustice.”In the US activists have added a further demand: “A just transition that prioritises the most vulnerable and indigenous sovereignty [and] establishes reparations and remediation led by and for black people, indigenous people, people of colour and poor communities for years of environmental injustice.”
Matthew TaylorMatthew Taylor
On Twitter, XR’s London branch labelled the clearing of protesters from the square “an outrage”. It also tweeted: “Today, an unprecedented, political, decision has been taken to shut down peaceful protest calling out the government for inaction in the face of crisis.” The police crackdown was condemned by politicians on Tuesday.
As of 5pm on Monday, police said there had been 1,445 arrests in connection with the eight days of XR protests in London. The Green MEP Molly Scott Cato tweeted: “A terrible sight in a democracy.”
The deputy assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor said conditions were being imposed on protesters because of continued breaches of previous police orders and “ongoing serious disruption to the community”. A terrible sight in a democracyPolice are occupying Trafalgar Square to prevent peaceful protestThis is the work of Priti Pitel's Home OfficeAnd where is @SadiqKhan? pic.twitter.com/xkMlJjvMfZ
He added: “We have made significant progress in managing Extinction Rebellion’s activity at sites across central London over this past week. Officers have begun the process of clearing Trafalgar Square and getting things back to normal.” Ellie Chowns, another Green MEP from the West Midlands, was one of those arrested when the police moved into Trafalgar Square.
Taylor said officers had made more than 90 arrests on Monday as protesters targeted the City of London, the capital’s financial district. Last night I was arrested in Trafalgar Square while defending the right to peaceful public protest. That right is central to a functioning democracy. Yesterday, public protest was banned throughout our capital city. This is a completely unjustified and disproportionate measure.
He added: “The policing operation continues, and we will continue to take action against anyone engaged in unlawful protests at locations targeted by Extinction Rebellion.” However, the Met deputy assistant commissioner Laurence Taylor said: “These conditions have been imposed due to the continued breaches of the section 14 condition previously implemented and ongoing serious disruption to the community.
On Monday night in Trafalgar Square, four people who had locked themselves together in a tent were cut out of their locks with machinery. “We have made significant progress in managing Extinction Rebellion’s activity at sites across central London over this past week. Officers have begun the process of clearing Trafalgar Square and getting things back to normal.”
Pam Williams, 71, glued herself to the spot where her tent stood as police arrived to take it. She said: “I’m refusing to leave and I’ve glued myself to the ground. My husband has taken away the tent. The police haven’t got it. I shall stay here until I’m arrested.” But despite the crackdown XR activists said they were determined to carry on with their protests, with plans to close one of the bridges across the Thames later on Tuesday with a No Food, No Future protest and an XR grandparents’ group planning a protest outside Buckingham Palace.
Ellie Chowns, a Green party MEP, said she had been arrested after “standing in solidarity” with protesters in Trafalgar Square. Ronan McNern from XR said the authorities could not ignore the crisis. “Those making the decisions around this need to realise that we are a peaceful organisation and that there is not a security solution to this … the climate and ecological crisis is here and it cannot be addressed by tougher policing.”
At 11.30pm, about 50 protesters remained in the square and the majority of the activists’ infrastructure had been removed.
Activists had previously said they planned to launch “XR Grandparents”, an initiative focused on older generations, on Tuesday afternoon.
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