Today extinction rebellion

Boris Johnson has praised the Extinction Rebellion climate protest in an unexpected move - despite calling the activists "smug". It came as the group suggested temporarily ending disruptive tactics to focus on political negotiations as they enter the eighth day of campaigning. A spokesman for the environmental campaign said there would be no escalation of activity on Bank Holiday Monday, but warned that the disruption could get "much worse" if politicians were not open to their negotiation requests. So far 1,065 people have been arrested while at least 40 have been charged in connection with the protests. Former London Mayor Boris Johnson used his weekly newspaper column to praise the protesters for taking action. “I cannot find it in my heart — no matter how smug, irritating and disruptive they may be — to condemn these protesters today," he wrote. “They are right to draw attention to the loss of habitat, and the extinction of species. They are also right to … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson PRAISES Extinction Rebellion protests – despite calling them ‘smug’

The predictable complaints began as soon as Extinction Rebellion launched its fortnight of protest in London, part of an international campaign of civil disobedience in as many as 60 cities worldwide. Politicians have moaned that the police are being too passive, and Boris Johnson, Britain’s prime minister, labelled the protesters – who include a former Metropolitan police detective – “uncooperative crusties”. In a characteristically bullying interview with one of the founders of XR, Piers Morgan repeatedly demanded an answer to the question: “Do you have a television?” The presenter’s insistence that a personal carbon footprint of close to zero should be a prerequisite for joining the protests is a little silly. Far-reaching structural solutions are required to limit global heating to the 1.5C threshold identified by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; it is not necessary to forgo Match of the Day or Strictly Come Dancing to … [Read more...] about The Guardian view on the Extinction Rebellion protests: of course they’re an inconvenience

In the Mall, up Whitehall, or crossing Trafalgar Square early this morning, the climate activists looked like rush-hour office workers and civil servants – mainly 30 to 50-year-olds, with no dreadlocked tree-huggers, SWP banners or black-masked anarchists looking for a punch-up. Chanting about the climate emergency, frankly, they seemed a bit sheepish, not used to it. Their ordinariness makes Extinction Rebellion, or XR, especially effective: farmers, scientists, doctors, Cumbrians and other local platoons stand at the 12 key roadblocks. After their successful capture of central London in April, local cells or “affinity groups” all over the country have trained and planned for this protest. Deciding who would be “arrestable” for highway obstruction – and who wouldn’t be, because of jobs or young families – they were primed to expect a tougher police response after rightwing press complaints against the friendly policing last April, when … [Read more...] about Thanks to Extinction Rebellion, we’re experiencing a climate culture change

Welcome to the Guardian’s weekly Brexit briefing, striving to make sense of the nonsensical since summer 2016. If you would like to receive this as a weekly email, please sign up here. And catch our monthly Brexit Means … podcast here. Producing the Guardian’s independent, in-depth journalism takes time and money. We do it because we believe our perspective matters, and it may be yours too. If you value our Brexit coverage, please support us. Thank you. Top stories Jeremy Corbyn wrote to Theresa May offering to throw Labour’s support behind her Brexit deal if she made five binding commitments, including joining a customs union but the prime minister wrote back to say no thanks. Westminster watchers said May’s letter was aimed not just at Corbyn and his MPs, aiming to publicly expose how little space there really is between Labour’s Brexit tests and her negotiated deal but also at the rebels in May’s own party. With the two leaders at least … [Read more...] about Brexit weekly briefing: Theresa May tries to quell Tory rebellion

Extinction Rebellion activists are plotting to disrupt this week’s London Fashion Week in protest at the harm the industry causes to the environment. They are in talks with Safia Minney, founder of sustainable clothing label People Tree, to target Britain’s biggest fashion event. Yesterday Miss Minney criticised ‘fast fashion’ – cheap clothing that is thrown away after being worn only a few times – and backed the protest. Activists are expected to try to bring traffic to a halt near venues and hold a mock funeral to publicise their claim that the industry is responsible for around 10 per cent of total global emissions. Green activist group Extinction Rebellion are planning to disrupt London's Fashion Week with human walls and mock funerals RELATED ARTICLES Previous 1 Next EU chief Guy Verhofstadt calls a Brexit delay 'unacceptable'... Army of 300 eco-activists in white boiler suits storm red... Share this article Share Safia … [Read more...] about Climate change activists plot huge demonstration to disrupt London Fashion Week in protest at clothing industry