Extinction Rebellion activists block Westminster roads
On the second consecutive day of action Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists have occupied roads in Westminster, police have warned.
In a tweet, the Met Police said that protestors are blocking roads around Parliament Street, Whitehall and Westminster. Officers are at the scene working to minimise disruption to traffic.
At around 11am this morning, green rabble rousers arrived at the HMRC building bearing banners which read: “Government in bed with climate criminals.” Activists called on the government to divest from Barclays, Europe’s largest financier of fossil fuels, stating that public taxes should not be used to fund the climate crisis.
As part of the protest, members of XR performed a slapstick skit which depicted Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the Barclays CEO receiving money on a silver platter from a HMRC butler.
Today’s disruption is the latest in a series of occupations planned as part of XR’s “Impossible Rebellion” campaign.
Extinction Rebellion are planning to hold multiple actions over the next two weeks in a bid to put climate change at the top of the political agenda ahead of the UK hosting the COP26 Summit.
Yesterday, climate activists erected a pink table in the middle of Trafalgar Square complete with a banner which read “come to the table,” an invitation for public discussion on climate change.
The police dismantled the structure overnight and reopened Covent Garden’s Long Acre junction which was blocked.
Police have confirmed that 52 arrests were made yesterday in addition to the 10 arrests made ahead of the protests on Sunday evening.
Read more: Extinction Rebellion: Giant climate talk table set up in Trafalgar Square