Welcome to a very middle class protest
MIDDLE class eco-warriors blocked roads around Parliament Square in the latest demonstration by Extinction Rebellion yesterday.
The group, which included yoga teachers and university workers, carried out a “memorial service” to mourn the loss of life on the planet.
More than 1,000 protesters massed on the green ahead of the sit-in outside the Palace of Westminster causing gridlock. They then staged a mock funeral march through Whitehall carrying a black coffin and banner that read “Rebel for Life”. The procession was led by flute and bongo players.
One woman was arrested for blocking the entrance to Downing Street and graffiti was sprayed on the Women of the Second World War memorial. At Buckingham Palace Jenny Shearer superglued herself to the gates as a letter addressed to the Queen was read out and a shrine to Mother Earth built.
At least 14 people were arrested for criminal damage.
The latest protest came after a week of protests that saw parts of central London brought to a standstill.
Last Saturday five bridges across the River Thames were blockaded by 6,000 people. A total of 82 arrests were made, the majority as police forced open routes to a hospital.
Then, from Wednesday to Friday, activists blocked major bottlenecks causing gridlock in the capital.
The group believes the country has reached a “tipping point” in which direct action is the only option left to save the planet.
But critics point out they are creating more pollution by causing tailbacks.