Wealthy backers to dump XR over press blockade

EXTINCTION Rebellion faces being dumped by millionaire backers over its newspaper blockade stunt.

XR has received £269,000 from the Climate Emergency Fund (CEF) set up by wealthy environmentalists in the US.

But last night one of them, 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 said. ‘A free press is the cornerstone of democracy.’

Mr Neilson said last year 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 and former wife of rock star Mick, who said the printworks protest last weekend was a mistake for the green cause.

More than 80 Extinction Rebellion protesters were arrested last weekend for blockading sites in Hertfordshire, Merseyside and Lanarkshire, depriving many newsagents of Saturday’s papers including the Daily Mail, Times and Daily Telegraph. 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.’