A wheelchair user was moved on by police during Extinction Rebellion protests in London today as at least five activists were arrested at the start of two weeks of large-scale action.
The woman was spoken to by officers while she was blocking a road before being moved away. At one point she was seen lying on the tarmac – although it is not clear what led up to this.
It came as protesters waved banners including ‘Make Earth Great Again’ as they marched in large numbers down the Mall – with limited social distancing despite current Covid restrictions.
In one moment in the protests, police moved a woman in a wheelchair from outside Westminster Abbey where she was blocking a road.
The rallies in Parliament Square and in Cardiff and Manchester come after protests planned for earlier in the year were cancelled due to the spread of the coronavirus.
There were limited XR protests yesterday, including outside banks in Essex over the financial industry’s investment in fossil fuels, but few activists turned out.
Police were seen speaking with a woman on a wheelchair near Parliament Square before they moved her away along with another protester
A group of officers wearing masks and gloves were seen moving the woman from the road outside Parliament
At one point the woman was lying on the road as officers continued speaking to her. It is not clear what led up to her being on the road
The woman was eventually moved away by officers during the protests outside Parliament this afternoon
Another protester is carried away by police after blocking traffic. Extinction Rebellion regularly uses the tactic to increase disruption
Protesters today waved flags and banners as they marched in large numbers down the Mall – with limited social distancing despite current Covid restrictions, although many wore masks
One of the group’s activists being carried away by mask-wearing police during the protests in central London today
This woman smiled as she was carried away by Met Police officers after she was blocking a road by Parliament Square
Another woman is moved away by officers during the first major protests on what XR says will be a two-week campaign
Police speak to a woman pretesting near Parliament. She is wearing an Extinction Rebellion logo on her t-shirt
MPs returned to Westminster today after a summer recess, and protesters are lobbying them to support a ‘Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill’ and a citizens’ assembly to discuss new approaches to tackling climate change.
‘The government is failing to do what’s necessary to keep people safe. We are here, taking action, because their criminal negligence is putting lives at risk,’ the group said on its website.
‘We refuse to be bystanders and wait for this emergency to push beyond the point of no return.’
Last week organisers said that other ‘institutions of power’ would be targeted in the coming days, adding that they would encourage protesters to respect social distancing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Activists marched around Parliament Square waving flags with the Extinction Rebellion logo and banging on drums
The group are hoping to use the two weeks of protest to refocus the political agenda on global warming
Protesters holding
Protesters held banners including ‘Make Earth Great Again’ while another read ‘the only thing we should be burning is safe’ in an apparent reference to the government’s Covid advisory group
Demonstrations also took place at St Peter’s Square in Manchester, where banners bore slogans including ‘planet over profit’
MPs returned to Westminster today after a summer recess, and protesters are lobbying them to support a ‘Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill’ and a citizens’ assembly to discuss new approaches to tackling climate change. Pictured are protesters in London
Last week organisers said that other ‘institutions of power’ would be targeted in the coming days, adding that they would encourage protesters to respect social distancing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic
Many of the banners in London included references to Prime Minister Boris Johnson – who today defended his climate record
Police have placed restrictions on where protestors could gather and said they must follow the rules or be liable to arrest.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that climate activists should be ‘jumping for joy’ at the government’s climate record, and today said new policy announcements would be made in the autumn.
‘From this crisis we will build back better in this country, we will build back faster and we will build back greener,’ Johnson told senior ministers ahead of a cabinet meeting.
‘And there will be a lot to more to come about the way in which this government is going to lead a new green industrial revolution for the UK.’
Police have placed restrictions on where protestors could gather and said they must follow the rules or be liable to arrest. Pictured are protesters in Manchester
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that climate activists – seen here in London – should be ‘jumping for joy’ at the government’s climate record, and today said new policy announcements would be made in the autumn
A woman in St Peter’s Square, Manchester, carrying a sign criticising banks for continuing to fund the fossil fuel industry