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Climate protest news 17/4/2022

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from XRmedia archive

Extinction Rebellion: Seventy arrested at climate change protests

Seventy people were arrested during a spate of Extinction Rebellion protests across London on Saturday, police said.

Six people, including two Olympic athletes, were detained for scaling and gluing themselves to an oil tanker near Hyde Park.

from XRmedia archive

Dozens more were then arrested at Marble Arch as demonstrators climbed the structure to attach a green banner reading “end fossil fuels now”.

Protesters also blocked the road and surrounded a car.

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Protest in Paris yesterday

Climate Change Protesters Close Down Main Square in Paris …

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In Paris, activists closed down a large square in the center of the city in protest over the environmental programs proposed by the remaining candidates in France’s upcoming presidential election, Reuters reported.

“Their inaction leads to our rebellion,” was the calling cry for hundreds of people who gathered in Paris’ 9th district, including some who lay on the floor during a so-called “die-in” demonstration, per the outlet.

“We are blocking this Paris square to rebel against alternatives that we don’t have,” Lou, a 26-year-old history teacher, told Reuters. They told the outlet that they “joined the Rebellion movement two years ago.” 

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“This election leaves us with no choice between a far-right candidate with repugnant ideas … and a candidate who during five years cast the ecology issue aside and lied,” they said, referencing President Emmanuel Macron and his challenger Marine Le Pen ahead of their run-off election.

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Woman is first to be convicted over Just Stop Oil fuel depot blockades

A 64-year-old woman has become the first person to be convicted for her involvement in the wave of protests at fuel sites staged by activist group Just Stop Oil.

Catherine Maclean was charged with aggravated trespass after an incident at an oil terminal in Thurrock last Wednesday.

Maclean, of Hurstpierpoint, Hassocks, in West Sussex, was ordered to pay £409 in fines and costs after admitting the offence at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, Essex Police said.

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Climate protest news 16 April 2022 / 2

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A selection of news articles about about climate protests today.

XR activists including Olympians climb on oil tanker in London

Six people have been arrested after Extinction Rebellion activists, including two Olympians, scaled an oil tanker in west London.

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Stott said: “I am acting to try to disrupt the toxic fossil fuel industry that is destroying everything we hold dear. I am hoping we can slow it down long enough to create a moment where everyone can stop and think where we are going and change course.

“I am aware that my actions will cause anger to many people and I am prepared to be held accountable. But our government should also be held to account for its decisions which are destroying our planet’s ability to support human civilisation.”

The Olympic sailor Laura Baldwin, who also took part in the protest, said: “This is the most critical time in the history of humanity and I feel I must do all that I can to raise the alarm.”

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“Extinction Rebellion is calling on all peaceful, loving and determined people to step into rebellion and resistance now.”

Eco-mob cause chaos in London with protestors glued to limo and DJ’s blocking roads

Extinction Rebellion protesters have caused chaos in central London today as campaigners swamped London’s Marble Arch, to glue themselves to a limousine.

Protesters descended on Hyde Park on Saturday for “highly disruptive mass action” following several days of protests against new fossil fuel investments.

The group had prepared the disruption ahead of time, getting hold of a black limousine and parking it to block the road whilst activists to glue themselves to it.

During the “mass action” some climate campaigners were spotted playing on DJ decks whilst other lit flares, played bongos and climbed the 45-foot-tall Marble Arch.

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Essex Police make 461 Just Stop Oil protest arrests after Thurrock demonstrations

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Officers have charged a total of 23 people in connection with incidents of trespass in Thurrock. Within the last 24 hours, an additional 37 people have been arrested.

This takes the total number of arrests since the early hours of April 1 to 461.

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Hunger-striking XR activist taken from police cell to hospital

A marine biologist held by police for more than 48 hours over a climate crisis protest was taken from her cell to hospital in an ambulance.

Emma Smart, 44, one of nine scientists affiliated with Extinction Rebellion who were arrested at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), had gone on hunger and thirst strike to protest against the conditions in which she was being held.

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On Friday night, police called an ambulance to Charing Cross police station to take Smart to hospital. According to her supporters, she was keen not to waste hospital resources and accepted rehydration treatment, then was taken back into police custody. She was released on Saturday after appearing at Westminster magistrates court.

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9.30 update

There is very little reporting of Extinction Rebellion events at Hyde Park / Marble Arch, as if it’s censored.

18/4/22 I think muted rather than censored as a consequence of a combination of events e.g. a bank holiday weekend, news event not promoted so well, etc.

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Climate protest news 16 April 2022 / 1

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Over 1,000 scientists from around the world take to the streets in week-long climate protests

Hundreds of scientists from around the world took part in protests last week to apply pressure on government agencies to make “rapid and deep” cuts to greenhouse gas emissions before it’s too late.  

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In Los Angeles, NASA scientist Peter Kalmus and three other people were arrested on Wednesday after they chained themselves to the front door of a Chase Bank building in protest of the company’s investment in fossil fuels.  

“We’ve been trying to warn you guys for so many decades that we’re heading towards a f—— catastrophe, and we’ve been being ignored,” said Kalmus, Business Insider reported. “The scientists of the world are being ignored, and it’s got to stop. We’re not joking. We’re not lying. We’re not exaggerating.” 

Kalmus and his fellow protesters were met with 100 LAPD officers in riot gear and arrested, according to Salon.  

The protests were part of a week of civil disobedience organized by Scientist Rebellion, the scientific branch of the climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion.  

More than 1,000 scientists from over 25 countries took part in the protests to highlight the findings from a United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report stating humanity only has three more years to cut greenhouse gas emissions. 

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Extinction Rebellion: Olympian joins activists in oil tanker protest

Climate change activists including an Olympic gold medal-winning canoeist have climbed on top of an oil tanker in a protest against the use of fossil fuels.

Extinction Rebellion protesters have surrounded the Shell tanker on Bayswater Road in London.

Olympian Etienne Stott said he wanted to “disrupt the toxic fossil fuel industry”.

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Climate change protesters block central Paris square to protest election choices

PARIS, April 16 (Reuters) – Climate change activists forced the closure of a main square in central Paris on Saturday to protest against the environmental programmes put forward by France’s remaining presidential candidates.

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“We are blocking this Paris square to rebel against alternatives that we don’t have. This election leaves us with no choice between a far-right candidate with repugnant ideas … and a candidate who during five years cast the ecology issue aside and lied,” Lou, 26, a history teacher, who joined the Extinction Rebellion movement two years ago told Reuters.

Hundreds of people gathered in Paris’ 9th district brandishing banners targeting the candidates, chanting slogans such as “their inaction leads to our rebellion”, or lay on the floor in protest.

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Climate protest news 14 April 2022 / 1

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Just Stop Oil activists clamber on tanker bringing chaos to the M4

Just Stop Oil activists stopped and surrounded an oil tanker on Thursday morning causing chaos for commuters coming into London on the M4.

It came as Extinction Rebellion accused the Metropolitan Police of carrying out pre-dawn raids on activists engaged in “non-violent” action across the capital over recent days.

A small group of five eco-warriors caught up to an Eddie Stobart fuel transporter lorry at the Chiswick roundabout about 8.30am on Thursday.

There were reports the group had disabled the truck’s brakes before activists clambered on top and glued themselves in position.

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No stopping Just Stop Oil

An oil firm has secured a High Court injunction aimed at stopping environmental protesters from targeting its fuel processing sites.

Valero Energy, which operates Pembroke refinery in Pembrokeshire, South Wales, and six fuel terminals across the UK, was granted the injunction against a number of environmental groups and “persons unknown” earlier this week.

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But the judge refused to widen the injunction to include blocking, endangering, slowing down, preventing, or obstructing the free passage of traffic on the access roads, and refusing to leave the roads when asked by police.

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Continue ReadingClimate protest news 14 April 2022 / 1

Climate protest news 13 April 2022 / 2

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Extinction Rebellion goes door-knocking for new recruits

Extinction Rebellion climate change activists have been door-knocking across London to attract new members.

The group says it is carrying out three days of “deep-canvassing”, approaching people in their homes to “listen to their concerns” about climate change.

Residents are being invited to local talks, to learn about the campaign and how to get involved.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) says the “outreach” exercises are part of a “week of action” in the capital.

XR says despite polls suggesting a high level of concern about climate change, “rarely do people have the opportunity to share their thoughts and fears about the world”.

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Protestors enter Shell HQ in London to tell workers to ‘jump ship’

Climate protestors have stormed a Shell (LON: SHEL) office to tell its workers to leave the oil giant, according to reports.

Climate protestors have stormed a Shell (LON: SHEL) office to tell its workers to leave the oil giant, according to reports.

Extinction Rebellion UK has Tweeted to say that campaigners are currently inside the supermajor’s London headquarters.

Videos have also appeared online of demonstrators gluing themselves to the reception desk at the Shell base and demanding “to talk to HR”.

Widespread protests have taken place in London today as XR and Just Stop Oil activists call for an “immediate end” to oil and gas.

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I went on TV to explain Just Stop Oil – and it became a parody of Don’t Look Up

Miranda Whelehan

I wanted to sound the alarm about oil exploration and the climate crisis, but Good Morning Britain just didn’t want to hear

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Civil resistance is really not about protests or marches, it is about responding to a situation beyond our worst nightmares. At Cop26, the people who run things effectively confirmed that they were going to let billions of the poorest people on this planet die in order to keep business as usual going.

Well, to that we say no. We will not continue as generations have before and allow our actions today to have devastating consequences on those tomorrow. It is time to break that cycle and stand up for what is right. “If governments are serious about the climate crisis, there can be no new investments in oil, gas and coal, from now – from this year.” That is a direct quote from Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency. He said that last year. Time has quite literally run out. It only takes one quick search on the internet to see what is happening. Somalia. Madagascar. Yemen. Australia. Canada. The climate crisis is destroying lives already and will continue to unless we make a commitment to stop oil now.

Kwasi Kwarteng declares ‘we won’t switch off oil and gas production’ after protesters glue themselves to building

The Business Secretary has insisted the Government will not switch off domestic oil and gas production as climate change activists targeted his department in an act of “civil disobedience”.

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But in a message to the activists posted on social media, the Business Secretary said: “You cannot – and we won’t – switch off domestic oil and gas production.

“Doing so would put energy security, jobs and industries at risk – and would simply increase foreign imports, not reduce demand.”

The group said the demonstration was part of a week of “civil disobedience” by XR in London.

“The action is planned to continue until the UK Government agrees to implement Extinction Rebellion’s immediate demand: to end all new fossil fuel infrastructure immediately,” it said.

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Comment by dizzy: I understand that XR and Just stop oil are demanding an end to any expansion to oil and gas and not stopping domestic production as Kwarteng is claiming.

Continue ReadingClimate protest news 13 April 2022 / 2