Extinction Rebellion risks losing its millionaire backers as top US donor condemns print press blockade as an attack on free speech
- Extinction Rebellion has received £269,000 from the Climate Emergency Fund
- One of its philanthropists condemned group’s tactics as an attack on free speech
- More than 80 XR protesters were arrested for blockading newspaper printers
Extinction Rebellion faces being dumped by millionaire backers over its newspaper blockade stunt.
XR has received £269,000 from the Climate Emergency Fund set up by wealthy environmentalists in the United States.
But last night one of the philanthropists, Trevor Neilson, condemned the group’s tactics as an unhelpful attack on free speech.
‘I deeply respect the passion of climate activists but also believe that preventing newspapers from doing their job is not a helpful strategy in the fight against the climate emergency,’ he told the Daily Telegraph.
Extinction Rebellion faces being dumped by millionaire backers over its newspaper blockade stunt (pictured)
More than 80 Extinction Rebellion protesters were arrested for blockading printers in Hertfordshire and Merseyside, depriving many newsagents of Saturday’s papers including The Times, Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail
‘A free press is the cornerstone of democracy.’
Mr Nielson said last year that if groups used CEF cash for anything illegal ”I imagine we would not provide them funding again”.
XR also came under fire from Bianca Jagger, a veteran environmentalist, who said the printworks protest last weekend was a mistake for the green cause.
More than 80 Extinction Rebellion protesters were arrested for blockading printers in Hertfordshire and Merseyside, depriving many newsagents of Saturday’s papers including The Times, Daily Telegraph and the Daily Mail.
XR has received £269,000 from the Climate Emergency Fund set up by wealthy environmentalists in the United States. But last night one of the philanthropists, Trevor Neilson, condemned the group’s tactics as an unhelpful attack on free speech
XR also came under fire from Bianca Jagger, a veteran environmentalist, who said the printworks protest last weekend was a mistake for the green cause
Yesterday the Home Secretary vowed to clamp down on XR. Speaking at the Police Superintendents’ Conference, Priti Patel said: ‘I refuse point blank to allow that kind of anarchy on our streets.
‘And together we must all stand firm against the guerrilla tactics of Extinction Rebellion and that means adapting to the threat they pose and ensuring that justice is served.’
An XR spokesman said: ‘Our action was a call for greater democracy.’