Extinction Rebellion admits Tube protest was ‘own goal’
Rush-hour activists attacked by angry commuters after climbing on train
EXTINCTION Rebellion organisers admitted a disastrous rush-hour protest had been a “huge own goal” after activists were set upon by a crowd of angry commuters.
Two protesters clambered on to a carriage at Canning Town station but were swiftly confronted by passengers who dragged them down to the platform. They were then kicked and punched before London Underground staff stepped in to defend them, widely-shared footage appeared to show.
Scotland Yard yesterday condemned the actions of commuters who took “matters into their own hands” and said they would face a full police investigation.
But politicians and industry groups led a backlash against Extinction Rebellion (XR), saying the passengers had rightly lost patience after 11 days of disruption.
A snap Yougov poll also appeared to show public support for XR draining away as 63 per cent of people said they supported the commuters’ actions.
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, suggested the activists should have thought twice before targeting the working-class area of Canning Town, where “people on hourly pay might not even have a job”.
The protest also led to infighting among XR activists on social media, while a planned protest at Gatwick Airport was called off. Fergal Mcentee, an XR spokesman, admitted the Tube action had been a “huge own goal”.
During the morning rush hour, the two protesters climbed on top of a packed carriage and unfurled a banner reading “Business As Usual = Death”. Passengers gathered on the platform, one shouting: “I need to get to work. I have to feed my kids.”
A frustrated commuter then hurled a packet of crisps at the men, and another threw a cup of coffee.
As the protesters attempted to lecture the jeering crowd about climate change, a passenger climbed on to the carriage to grab a protester, who appeared to kick out. The bearded activist, identified by The Daily Telegraph as James Mee, a 35-year-old accounts administrator from Bristol, was dragged down on to the platform, and set upon.
Another commuter then chased the second protester, understood to be Mark Ovland, a former Buddhist teacher, along the carriage until he too was pulled off the roof and set upon.
When police arrived, both activists were arrested.
In a recent blog post, Mr Ovland wrote: “Sometimes the actions I choose to take part in won’t be popular, but I’m not in this to be popular.”
Other XR activists present on the platform included Robin Boardman-pattinson, 21, who has faced accusations of hypocrisy after saying air travel should only be used “in emergencies” despite regularly travelling abroad on skiing holidays.
In total, eight people were arrested yesterday morning during three protests at stations across the capital.
XR were also refused an urgent High Court hearing of their case against the Metropolitan Police over a London-wide protest ban.
In a statement, XR said: “It is regretful that there was violence at today’s action.
“We would like to express our sadness that events escalated this way. In light of today’s events, Extinction Rebellion will be looking at ways to bring people together rather than create unnecessary division.”