Chris Packham urges people to join Extinction Rebellion protest
Wildlife presenter Chris Packham has called on everyone who cares about the planet to join the Extinction Rebellion (XR) protest after thousands of people participated in a demonstration on Saturday. Speaking to the crowd from a stage near Parliament Square during the second day of the mass protest, Packham said that the mission was to build as wide a community as possible. The four-day protest, called The Big One, is expected to attract around 50,000 people and has received support from over 200 organisations, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.
Packham commended two Just Stop Oil protesters who were jailed on Friday after scaling the Dartford Crossing Bridge in Kent for their bravery. In contrast to this protest, The Big One aims to cause minimal disruption so that it is accessible to all. Many activists attended with their children to inspire the next generation to join their ranks.
XR protesters demand action on climate crisis
XR protesters are demanding that the government takes action on the climate crisis. Jo Clark, a veteran XR protester, said that schools were failing to teach children about the climate crisis and that the government needed to “buck up and deal with it”. Clark, who works in the arts and was holding her one-year-old toddler, said that the government had declared a climate emergency in legislation but was not doing enough to meet those targets.
Beyond Parliament Square, thousands more activists staged a “die-in” by lying on the pavement at the Mall, representing the potential future extinction of humanity due to global heating. Many people also wore fancy dress, including the distinctive red-robed army of XR protesters who frequently turn up to the protests, while others wore masks depicting King Charles, prime minister Rishi Sunak and various animals.
XR protest to share London’s streets with London Marathon
On Sunday, XR protesters will share the capital’s streets with tens of thousands of runners taking part in the London Marathon. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has urged XR to protest in a way that is peaceful, lawful and safe. XR has said that it has worked with marathon organisers to ensure that the marathon will not be disrupted.
Keywords: Chris Packham, Extinction Rebellion, protest, climate crisis, government, Jo Clark, die-in, London Marathon.