Olympic champion joins climate activists for Windsor protest

An Olympic gold medal-winning canoeist will be among climate activists protesting in Windsor this weekend to demand the Labour government takes climate action seriously.

Extinction Rebellion, which is organising the three-day event, which began on Friday, said it had been disappointed by the new administration’s lack of action on reducing fossil fuel emissions.

The event includes a funfair, a large campsite, speakers, art and music. A few of the actions will be centred around Windsor Castle but, contrary to media reports, the activists say they have no plans to “storm the castle” and that all events will be non-disruptive.

Activists are calling on the government to set up a citizens’ assembly to tackle the climate crisis.

Etienne Stott, XR UK spokesperson and an Olympic gold medal-winning canoeist, said: “The first job of the state is to protect its citizens and keep them safe. Politicians are too close to and too compromised by the vested interests of the oil barons and media billionaires to carry out this primary duty of care. A citizens’ assembly is a proven mechanism that can be deployed to bypass these corrupting influences and get things done in a way that is fair for all and bridges political divides.”

Campaigners say they will keep protesting despite a more climate-friendly government having been elected. This is because, they say, Labour is maintaining the status quo on many issues, including “using the same outdated climate targets and [they] don’t have a plan that is consistent with the Paris agreement, the latest science and global equity”.

Extinction Rebellion predicts that under the threat of legal action from oil companies ministers seem likely to approve licences for North Sea oil drilling issued by the previous government. It has also pointed out that ministers approved the expansion of London City airport, and has so far refused to repeal the previous government’s protest laws.

Marijn van de Geer, of XR’s citizens’ assembly working group, said: “Despite vilification from the rightwing media, and new laws putting activists in prison, people are refusing to be silenced and are coming together peacefully to challenge our broken system and to explore together how we can fix it.

“We are defying the current climate of repression – it’s too important not to – we need to be there, we need to be seen and we need to be heard.”