Extinction Rebellion protests: Green Party co-leader arrested as protesters win right to fight ‘unlawful’ police ban in court

Climate activists win go-ahead to mount legal action against Metropolitan Police

Protester scales parliament fence during Extinction Rebellion demonstration

The co-leader of the Green Party Jonathan Bartley was among more than 1,500 Extinction Rebellion activists arrested as the group continued its protests in defiance of a police ban.

Activists have been granted the go-ahead for legal action against London’s Metropolitan Police to challenge the public order banning more than two climate activists convening anywhere in the city. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

Politicians, human-rights groups and leading environmental figures including Greta Thunberg have condemned the ban as “unlawful” and “draconian”.

Meanwhile, mothers and babies from the group are blockading the of Google HQ to demand the tech giant stops funding climate deniers, as teenage protesters climb the entrance of Youtube HQ.

Other demonstrators blocked roads around Trafalgar Square, and some protested outside the offices of The Times and The Sun.

Please see below for what was our live coverage.

[16 October 2019 12:19 · emma.snaith]

Jeremy Corbyn: 'It's important to protect the right of free speech, and the right to demonstrate in our society'

In response to the London-wide ban of Extinction Rebellion protesters by police on Monday night, the Labour leader said: "Concerns have been expressed about this.

"Diane Abbott and Richard Burgon are contacting the Metropolitan Police to discuss this, as indeed Sadiq Khan has as the Mayor of London.

"I think it's important to protect the right of free speech, and the right to demonstrate in our society - obviously in a non-violent way."

Mr Corbyn added that Mr Khan had no involvement in the "operational decision" by police to remove the protesters.

[16 October 2019 12:28 · emma.snaith]

Mothers and babies hold 'nurse-in' Google HQ 

More than a hundred mothers and babies are currently blocking the entrance of Google's HQ as part of a mass "nurse-in".

They are calling on the tech giant to "stop funding climate deniers and tell the truth about the climate crisis".

Extinction Rebellion 

[16 October 2019 12:34 · emma.snaith]

Naomi Klein says climate change is more 'inconvenient' than Extinction Rebellion protests 

[16 October 2019 12:56 · emma.snaith]

Extinction Rebellion Youth climb entrance of YouTube HQ

As mothers and babies descend on Google, some of the youth members of Extinction Rebellion have climbed on top of the entrance of YouTube's London HQ. 

They are calling on the company to take action "on the huge amount of videos containing misinformation, climate denial and climate skepticism" on its platform. 

(Extinction Rebellion) 

[16 October 2019 13:20 · emma.snaith]

Dianne Abbot says protest ban is 'outrageous' 

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott said on Twitter she would be writing to home secretary Priti Patel to protest about the Metropolitan Police's “outrageous” ban on Extinction Rebellion demonstrations in London.

[16 October 2019 13:45 · emma.snaith]

Celebrities supporting Extinction Rebellion admit to 'being hypocrites'

Celebrities have admitted being hypocrites over climate activism but asked the press not to focus on their "huge carbon footprints".

In an open letter to the media, high-profile supporters of Extinction Rebellion have said there are more important issues than their own confessed hypocrisy.

Jude Law and Benedict Cumberbatch are among the A-list environmentalists urging the press to focus their critical energies on climate change, and not the lifestyles of celebrities.

Steve Coogan, Bob Geldof, Sir Mark Rylance, and Ray Winstone are among the more than 100 famous figures who have signed the open letter.

[16 October 2019 13:55 · emma.snaith]

Greta Thunberg calls on protesters to defy police order

Greta Thunberg is among those who have condemned the Metropolitan Police's ban on Extinction Rebellion protests as "unlawful".

“If standing up against the climate and ecological breakdown and for humanity is against the rules then the rules must be broken,” the 16-year-old climate activist wrote on her Instagram account.

[16 October 2019 14:08 · emma.snaith]

Hundreds gather in Trafalgar Square, risking arrest

Hundreds of Extinction Rebellion protesters have descended on Trafalgar Square to defy a police ban on the demonstrations. 

Many of the protesters have put black tape across their mouths to signify what they say is a police attempt to silence the protests.

(Extinction Rebellion)

(Extinction Rebellion) 

[16 October 2019 14:24 · emma.snaith]

'It's a terrible betrayal of the children'

Lorna Greenwood, one of the mothers blockading Google HQ, said that the tech giant was "touting it's green credential to the public while at the same time giving money to climate change deniers". 

"It’s a terrible betrayal of the children who have suffered all over the world because of the climate and ecological emergency," she added. 

"We’re asking Google to use its enormous power for good instead of evil. Its company motto is ‘do the right thing’. The right thing to do could not be more obvious: stop funding climate deniers."

(AFP) 

(Reuters) 

[16 October 2019 14:42 · emma.snaith]

'Social media needs to stop the promotion of climate denial' 

One protester known as 'Lazer' was among those protesting outside YouTube's HQ. 

“I’m here today in support of my fellow XRY Rebels on top of the canapé," he said.

"Social media, which is hugely influential in our generation, needs to change algorithms to stop the promotion of climate denial.“

(Extinction Rebellion)