Extinction Rebellion’s four-day protest comes to an end
A mass protest which the climate group has called The Big One has been taking place in the city since Friday.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Hundreds of Extinction Rebellion (XR) protesters have marched through central London on the last day of a four-day demonstration.
Traffic came to a halt as XR’s drum band continuously played from the Houses of Parliament to the London Eye, with the march ending at the headquarters of oil giant Shell.
It formed part of a mass protest which the climate group has called The Big One, which has been taking place in the city since Friday and has been supported by more than 200 organisations including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.
On Monday marchers waved signs with slogans including “I want a hot girlfriend, not a hot planet” and “fossil filth is over”.
Yaz Ashmawi, 28, a strategy and actions support member for XR, from Surrey, said the protests have been an “incredible success” with more than 200 different organisations supporting the campaign.
“Never before have so many people come to the centre of power in London to demand meaningful action for the climate emergency – it’s unprecedented,” he said.
Mr Ashmawi added: “The Government isn’t able to listen to the science, the scientific consensus is that we can no longer have any more fossil fuel infrastructure projects, period.
“What’s next is we need to figure out how to bring more people on a journey to more and more direct action.
“Real change comes when tens of thousands of people return and remain day after day [to protest].”
XR demanded the Government stop issuing fossil fuel licences, convene a climate citizens’ assembly and ultimately focus on solving the climate crisis.
The group claims that more than 30,000 people have signed up to attend the protest, which is their biggest form of action since announcing that it would drop its disruptive tactics.
Just Stop Oil members also joined the march after causing various traffic jams in London on Monday near Piccadilly Circus.
The group said their slow marches will continue to take place throughout the rest of the week.