Jeremy Corbyn has today joined a coalition of eco-zealots – including Just Stop Oil and Insulate Britain – as they descend on central London to take part in a ‘mass swarming march’ that they hope will bring the capital to a standstill.
The event, dubbed We All Want to Just Stop Oil, says on its website that it wants to create ‘mass civil resistance’ in a bid to achieve five ‘sensible’ demands that address both climate change and the ongoing cost of living crisis.
Footage shared online shows hundreds of people slowly marching through the capital, chanting: ‘No to gas, no to oil, keep the carbon in the soil.’
Others shouted ‘our planet, our future’ repeatedly while holding up placards as police officers monitored the crowds. The Met told MailOnline there have been no arrests so far.
The protesters are calling for an ‘end new oil and gas licences, to insulate our homes, to give everyone enough free energy to cover the basics like heating, cooking, and lighting, and to provide cheap public transport.’
They are also demanding that the government ‘tax big polluters and billionaires’ to help fund the programme, ‘including retraining of workforces in new green jobs.’
Extinction Rebellion also held a ‘die-in’ protest in Glasgow today – which recently hosted the Cop26 event – which saw members from the group lay on the ground covered in white sheets, with signs propped up against their ‘dead’ bodies reading: ‘Radiation poisoning’, ‘drought’ and ‘mass migration.’
Former Labour leader – and founder of the Peace & Justice Project – Jeremy Corbyn voiced his support for the eco-warriors ahead of their action today.
He said in a statement: ‘It’s too hot and everything is too expensive. That’s the crisis. You can’t separate out the cost of living and climate crises. The whole system, which creates billionaires and starves hundreds of millions, is the crisis. It can’t be resolved, it must be overcome and transformed.
‘Movements are the motor of change in history. When we come together, we can transform the world.
‘And we must because those in power – the fossil fuel giants, the billionaires and the governments they own – are picking our pockets and stealing our future.’
The eco-mob had arranged to meet outside three London stations – Euston, Paddington and Victoria – and at least eight other locations before following different routes to meet in Parliament Square at 1pm.
Pictures taken this morning showed small groups gathering as they started their separate marches, with one holding up a banner calling for the cancellation of the pioneering High Speed 2 rail network (pictured)
An eco-protester spurs on the crowds as they address them with a megaphone emblazoned with the message: ‘Fight racism, fight imperialism’
‘No new oil’: Young person holds up sign listing host of oil and fossil fuel giants as they join protest in central London
Extinction Rebellion of climate activists staging a ‘die-in’ protest in Glasgow’s city centre to demand action after the UK recorded its highest ever temperatures earlier this week
Demonstrators hold placards as they take part in a protest march from Victoria station to Parliament Square in London on Saturday
The event, dubbed We All Want to Just Stop Oil, says on its website that it wants to create ‘mass civil resistance’ in a bid to achieve five ‘sensible’ demands that address both climate change and the ongoing cost of living crisis (Pictured: Start of march on Saturday)
Members of environmental groups including Just Stop Oil, the Peace and Justice Project and Insulate Britain take part in a mass sit-down demonstration in Parliament Square on Saturday
Protesters hold up signs reading ‘insulate our homes’ and ‘fossil fuels are killing us’ during protest in central London Saturday
Young person holds up sign reading ‘just stop oil’ outside Parliament Square on Saturday afternoon
Members of environmental groups including Just Stop Oil, the Peace and Justice Project and Insulate Britain take part in a mass protest in Parliament Square, London
Insulate Britain protesters take part in mass sit-down protest in Parliament Square on Saturday afternoon
Others held up signs simply reading: ‘Oil free London’ and ‘people not profits.’
Demonstrators hold a banner as they take part in a protest march from Victoria station to Parliament Square
They aimed to pick up supporters on the way before staging a ‘symbolic mass sit down’ and ‘heading off to St. James Park for small group discussions.’
Pictures taken this morning showed small groups gathering as they started their separate marches, with one holding up a banner calling for the cancellation of the pioneering High Speed 2 rail network.
Others held up signs simply reading: ‘Oil free London’ and ‘people not profits.’
Indigo Rumbelow from Just Stop Oil said: ‘Tuesday’s extreme heatwave was a warning about what we will face as the climate collapses – thousands of deaths, homes lost to wildfires and emergency services stretched to breaking point – we are so unprepared for extreme heat and it’s only going to get worse.
‘It’s clear that the politicians won’t save us. That’s why we want to bring together the broadest coalition we can to stop new oil and gas licensing and implement an emergency plan that will reduce our carbon emissions and put money back in people’s pockets.
‘We are encouraging everyone to step up and join us on Saturday to help build the movement.’
