A survey by YouGov has found that 52 per cent of Britons oppose the recent actions of climate change protestors as London faces its third day of disruption by Extinction Rebellion.
This is compared to 36 per cent of Britons who back their actions. Opposition is found across all age groups of those polled, apart from those aged 18-24 who tend to support them (47 per cent to 41 per cent).
Protests began on Monday when the activists blocked five London landmarks — Marble Arch, Parliament Square, Oxford Circus, Piccadilly Circus, and Waterloo Bridge — while others superglued themselves to the headquarters of Shell Oil’s headquarters.
Climate change activists blockade Waterloo bridge on the third day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group, in London on April 17, 2019. (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)
Organisers have threatened to take their protest global and continue action for the remainder of the week. On Wednesday, the group took the unusual decision to attack environmentally-friendly public transport by glueing themselves to, and climbing on top of trains. Police say that so far, 340 protestors have been arrested.
Climate change protestors stand atop a DLR train at Canary wharf station on the third day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group, in London on April 17, 2019. – Nearly 300 people have been arrested in ongoing climate change protests in London that brought parts of the British capital to a standstill. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images)
In addition, they have created four roadblocks, according to The Times, with the green extremists saying that they had ramped up tactics because petitions and marches were not working to convince people or the Government that the world is on the edge of total environmental destruction.
Police remove a protestor who had glued himself to a window of a DLR train at Canary wharf station on the third day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group, in London on April 17, 2019. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images)
“Peaceful mass civil disobedience is the only route now,” the group said on Wednesday. “We will continue to block roads until we hear from the government.”
Protestors have also taken the odd decision to glue and chain themselves together outside the home of far-left Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn’s home.
Climate change activists, including Labour party councillor in Stroud, Skeena Rathor (L), who have glued their hands together and locked themselves to the fence outside the home of Britain’s opposition Labour party Leader Jeremy Corbyn react in north London on April 17, 2019, on the third day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group. (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP/Getty Images)
The far-left activists are attempting to hold the capital city hostage in exchange for three demands: overhaul the democratic process by forcing Government policy to be decided by a “Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice”; reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025, so banning all cars, flying, and disconnecting millions of gas boilers and ovens in six years; and force the Government to declare a “climate and ecological emergency.”
Climate change activists, one (R) with her hand glued to the underside of a truck parked across Waterloo Bridge, react on the third day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group, in London on April 17, 2019. (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)
Climate change activists blockade Waterloo Bridge on the third day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group, in London on April 17, 2019. (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)
Police carry away a climate change activist blockading Waterloo Bridge on the third day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group, in London on April 17, 2019. (Photo by TOLGA AKMEN/AFP/Getty Images)
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