Extinction Rebellion activists protesting outside the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
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Extinction Rebellion activists protesting outside the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
(Getty Images)
Activists have glued themselves to UK government buildings in protest against new oil and gas as Extinction Rebellion continued its week of mass action in London.
XR said scientists - dressed in white lab coats - were taking part in the demonstration on Wednesday, even sticking scientific papers to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on Wednesday.
It comes after XR activists blocked the entrance to Lloyd’s of London on Tuesday to protest against the insurance sector’s backing of the fossil fuel industry.
The day before, protesters wore masks of politicians and rats as they kicked off the week of action with demonstrations in the capital.
Key Points XR says scientists glueing themselves to government departments XR blocks insurance giant offices in week of action
Show latest update 1649852134 XR training
Extinction Rebellion ran a non-violence training course in London to prepare new recruits for the planned wave of protests this month.
Rory Sullivan has more here:
Extinction Rebellion stage mass sit-down protest in central London The demonstrators sat down on roads around Oxford Circus chanting ‘save our planet’
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 13:15
1649851234 ‘The PM asked for a climate pass with the war in Ukraine,’ scientist at protest says
Pete Knapp, an air quality scientist at the protest today, says: “The government department is responsible for choosing between a liveable planet and fossil fuels and they are choosing fossil fuels.”
He added: “The PM asked for a climate pass with the war in Ukraine - this is not how science works. We don’t have a tranquil period to cut fossil fuels.”
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 13:00
1649850574 ‘The fastest way to get Extinction Rebellion to stop is to listen to them'
As Extinction Rebellion promise another week of disruption, Harry Cockburn, our environment correspondent, writes:
“It is all completely unnecessary, and the people with the power to end the disruption are those in government.”
Read his analysis here:
The fastest way to get Extinction Rebellion to shut up is to listen to them The people with the power to end the disruption are in government, writes Harry Cockburn
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 12:49
1649849434 What is going on with oil and gas in the UK anyway?
The UK government pledged to pursue new fossil fuel projects in the North Sea just last week.
In a much-anticipated energy security strategy, Boris Johnson said: “We’re going to make better use of the oil and gas in our own backyard by giving the energy fields of the North Sea a new lease of life.”
The document tries to explain this during the climate crisis. “Net zero is a smooth transition, not an immediate extinction, for oil and gas,” it says.
Harry Cockburn has more on the strategy - and criticisms of it - here:
UK energy strategy will give North Sea oil and gas ‘new lease of life’, says Johnson Boris Johnson talks up hydrogen and nuclear power while setting out plans to expand fossil fuel production
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 12:30
1649849335 Images of BEIS protest
Here is what going on outside the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy now:
Extinction Rebellion activists protesting outside the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
(Getty Images)
Extinction Rebellion activists protesting outside the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
(Getty Images)
Extinction Rebellion activists protesting outside the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
(Getty Images)
Extinction Rebellion activists protesting outside the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
(Getty Images)
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 12:28
1649848352 ‘New fossil fuel production puts us in danger'
According to Scientists for XR, Dr Abi Perrin is a microbiologist taking part in the protest.
“The science is clear - new fossil fuel production puts us all in danger. Our government’s strategy furthers the harm,” she is reported as saying:
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 12:12
1649847812 Scientific papers stuck to BEIS building
Scientists for XR says the Business for Energy and Industrial Strategy is being targeted.
The group says scientific papers are also being stuck to the building:
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 12:03
1649846926 XR says scientists glueing themselves to government departments
Extinction Rebellion says scientists are “glueing themselves to government departments” to call for no new oil and gas:
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 11:48
1649846617
Here are some pictures from what Extinction Rebellion got up to yesterday:
XR in London on Tuesday
(AFP via Getty Images)
Activists from the Extinction Rebellion, demonstrate at the Lloyds of London’s head office
(AFP via Getty Images)
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 11:43
1649844689 Meanwhile climate activists elsewhere...
XR are not the only climate group in action today.
Just Stop Oil say its members have occupied a tanker in Essex this morning:
Zoe Tidman 13 April 2022 11:11
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