Extinction Rebellion activists rip up garden around ‘Sir Isaac Newton apple tree descendant’


Extinction Rebellion activists rip up garden around apple tree that descended from the one that inspired Sir Isaac Newton outside Trinity College in Cambridge in protest over plans to turn farmland into lorry park

  • One activist was chained to the historic tree outside Trinity College, Cambridge
  • Protestors said the college is colluding in the ‘destruction of farmland in Suffolk’
  • Claim college-owned Innocence Farm is also being turned into housing estate

Extinction rebellion activists ripped up the garden around an apple tree that descended from the one that inspired Sir Isaac Newton as part of a protest against a controversial university investment. 

The activists descended on the green outside Trinity College, Cambridge, this morning and one activist was chained to the ancient tree. 

Protestors said they had ‘symbolically protected the famous apple tree to highlight the college’s collusion in the destruction of farmland in Suffolk.’

Extinction rebellion activists ripped up the garden around an apple tree in Cambridge that descended from the one that inspired Sir Isaac Newton as part of a protest against a controversial university investment. Pictured: Activists dig up the lawn as one person is chained to the tree

Extinction rebellion activists ripped up the garden around an apple tree in Cambridge that descended from the one that inspired Sir Isaac Newton as part of a protest against a controversial university investment. Pictured: Activists dig up the lawn as one person is chained to the tree

The activists descended on the green outside Trinity College, Cambridge, this morning and dug up a large area in front of the ancient tree

The activists descended on the green outside Trinity College, Cambridge, this morning and dug up a large area in front of the ancient tree

Protestors said they had 'symbolically protected the famous apple tree to highlight the college's collusion in the destruction of farmland in Suffolk'

Protestors said they had 'symbolically protected the famous apple tree to highlight the college's collusion in the destruction of farmland in Suffolk'

The activists descended on the green outside Trinity College, Cambridge, this morning and dug up a large area in front of the ancient tree

The group claims that Innocence Farm – owned by the college near the Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk – is being turned into a giant lorry park and housing estate.

XR say the college wants to build around 300 homes on the site, with a nearby lorry park capable of taking 3,000 vehicles.

The tree on Trinity’s front lawn is believed to have grown from a graft from the original tree which inspired Sir Isaac Newton to formulate his theory of gravity in the 17th century.

Others dug up the lawn around the tree to symbolise the college’s destruction of nature.

Protesters are seen digging up the lawn around the tree

Protesters are seen digging up the lawn around the tree

The group did say that protesters 'were careful to ensure that the digging took place a safe distance from the tree so as not to cause any damage to it'

The group did say that protesters 'were careful to ensure that the digging took place a safe distance from the tree so as not to cause any damage to it'

Protesters are seen digging up the lawn around the tree (left). The group did say that protesters ‘were careful to ensure that the digging took place a safe distance from the tree so as not to cause any damage to it’

The group claims that Innocence Farm – owned by the college near the Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk – is being turned into a giant lorry park and housing estate. Pictured: The dug up land surrounding the tree 

The group did say that protesters ‘were careful to ensure that the digging took place a safe distance from the tree so as not to cause any damage to it.’

But residents of Cambridge have hit back at the group, slamming their ‘mindless destruction’ of Trinity College’s lawn.

A woman, who wished to remain anonymous, said: ‘I think it’s disgraceful to ruin such an historic lawn like that.

‘All you’re going to do is anger people. They’re not going to listen to the message behind your actions if you’re causing this much destruction.

Some protestors dug up the lawn around the tree to symbolise the college's destruction of nature

Some protestors dug up the lawn around the tree to symbolise the college's destruction of nature

Some protestors dug up the lawn around the tree to symbolise the college’s destruction of nature

‘It’s such a shame to see it in such a state.’

XR spokesman Derek Langley said: ‘We are in the middle of a climate and environmental emergency and the idea that a rich institution like Trinity College, which tells the world it is serious about tackling this crisis, is looking for profit from environmental destruction is quite simply astonishing.

‘I take part in actions like this because I want to protect the world for my grandchildren and Trinity College is putting their future at risk.’

On the Cambridge XR’s Facebook page the group issued a statement today.

Residents of Cambridge have hit back at the group, slamming their 'mindless destruction' of Trinity College's lawn. Pictured: Writing by XR on the ground outside Trinity College

Residents of Cambridge have hit back at the group, slamming their 'mindless destruction' of Trinity College's lawn. Pictured: Writing by XR on the ground outside Trinity College

Residents of Cambridge have hit back at the group, slamming their ‘mindless destruction’ of Trinity College’s lawn. Pictured: Writing by XR on the ground outside Trinity College

It read: ‘Trinity College has invested £9.1m in oil and gas companies, the most of any of the 45 Oxbridge colleges.

‘They own Innocence Farm in Suffolk and want to sell it to Felixstowe Port to build a lorry park for 3,000 vehicles.

Trinity College must cut ties with fossil fuel companies and stop trying to hawk off nature for profit.’

Sir Isaac Newton is believed to have come up with this theory of gravity after watching an apple fall from a tree at Woolsthorpe Manor, Grantham in Lincolnshire in the late summer of 1666.

MailOnline has approached Trinity College for comment.