GROUP’S ACTION MOURNS CLIMATE DEATHS
FLAGS, tombstones and a coffin were carried through the streets of Swansea yesterday afternoon in dramatic scenes. Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion (XR) were behind the funeral procession, held for the human and animal lives lost in the ongoing Australian bush fires and recent Jakarta floods.
Campaigners donned black clothing as they set off from Parc Tawe, towards Wind Street and ended in Castle Square.
Led by the Red Rebels in robes, to represent the flames in Australia, protesters were armed with handmade tombstones and placards, with some even carrying a coffin through the streets.
The main aim of the event was to raise awareness of the current climate emergency.
Dr Jennifer Rudd, part of XR Swansea, said: “We have organised a funeral procession, not only to remember the people in Australia who have been massively affected by climate change, but the thousands in Indonesia who have been affected by the flooding.
“Jakarta is underwater and we want to raise awareness.
“Every action we have taken around Swansea, new people have joined us. It’s a great way of recruiting.
“This is a really positive thing to come out and do and we’ve had people from XR Carmarthen come down as well.
“We want to put more and more pressure on the Government to make radical changes.
“Parliament made a declaration of climate emergency, but the Government is not following through.
“Fighting climate change is really hard, but when you come together, and you see art and science coming together, it’s really beautiful and really uplifting.”
Richard Pearson is a member of XR Richmond and made the journey to Swansea yesterday morning to take part in the procession.
The 43-year-old said: “After seeing the rebellion in April I thought this is something I have to be a part of, so I’ve been a part of XR Richmond since then.
“I’ve been very much an environmentalist for about 30 years, but I’m here today to raise public awareness.
“We want to raise awareness of the climate emergency, the bushfires in Australia and the floods in Jakarta.”
Phil Burton, who was also part of the procession, agreed that the main aim was to highlight the “devastation” which has seen around a billion animals die in Australia.
He said: “With maybe a billion animals dying there, and the number of people that are dying in Jakarta, we want to get the people of Swansea to recognise that it is part of the climate emergency, and not just something that we can pass by.”