The city of London has banned all Extinction Rebellion protests and cleared the protest encampment at Trafalgar Square, after over 1,400 people were arrested in eight days of mass demonstrations demanding urgent action to address the climate crisis. On Monday morning, hundreds of people blocked traffic outside the Bank of England, while other activists glued themselves to the offices of Barclays Bank, military contractor BAE Systems and asset manager BlackRock.
Jo: “This company are one of the major reasons this Earth is in such a mess. And I know there will be people inside in BlackRock who are working hard to provide for their kids. And shortly, they’ll get the message that they are the ones who are making their future less safe and their planet not fit for habitation.”
Despite the ban, Extinction Rebellion protests are continuing in London today, where the group’s co-founder Gail Bradbrook tried to smash one of the windows of the Department of Transport with a hammer, while other activists glued themselves to the building. Click here to see our full interview with Gail Bradbrook.