Extinction Rebellion activists have staged a protest at the Cenotaph in Whitehall hours before the national two minutes silence.
The DailyMail reported that some protesters had ‘trampled over wreaths’ before unveiling a banner reading: ‘Honour Their Sacrifice, Climate Change Means War’.
Former British Army soldier, Donald Bell led the small protest.
He held a two-minute silence before laying a wreath on the Cenotaph which read: ‘climate change means war, act now’.
The general public had been asked not to gather at the Cenotaph owing to COVID restrictions.
But the XR protesters, who were wearing face coverings, ignored the request in order to carry out their demonstrations.
Shortly after the wreath was laid, Met Police officers swiftly removed it.
Mr Bell, 64, said he wanted to highlight how climate change could cause more wars.
He said:
‘I took action today, knowing that I would be criticised. I knew that I would be accused of being disrespectful and hated by many for speaking out in this way.
‘Remembrance Day is never an easy time for veterans, and this was not an easy decision for me to make.
‘But I served this country, I served the people of this country, and the action I took today is about just that.
‘Unchecked climate change means a return to a world at war. I cannot stand by and let that happen. It is my duty to act.
‘This government’s own climate advisors, the committee on climate change, said last year that they have a ‘Dad’s Army’ approach to protecting British people from the impacts of climate change.
‘Their report in June this year showed that the government has failed to meet all but two of the 31 milestones it set itself for reducing emissions.
‘This government is criminally negligent and young people today will pay the price for their failure.
‘I did four tours in Northern Ireland. I have been in conflict. I saw good friends – my comrades, who I served with – die.
‘Many of the people who attend the Remembrance Day Service have never seen the horrors of war. I hope they never have to.
‘However you feel about the action today, I want people to take this message – if we don’t deal with this climate emergency, now, it will lead to war.’
A spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion added:
‘Today at 8 am, on Remembrance Day 2020, Extinction Rebellion hung a banner at the Cenotaph reading ‘Honour Their Sacrifice, Climate Change Means War’.
‘After the banner was hung at the war memorial, British Army veteran and member of Extinction Rebellion, Donald Bell, paid his respects and observed two minutes silence.
‘He then hung a wreath of poppies decorated with the words ‘climate change means war, act now’ on the Cenotaph.
‘The action aims to highlight the connection between rising global temperatures and an increase in the incidence of conflict and war.
‘Research commissioned by the Ministry of Defence published in June this year points to a “growing recognition that climate change may aggravate existing threats to international peace and security.”
‘The report, which is titled ‘A changing climate: Exploring the implications of climate change for UK defence and security’, advises the Ministry of Defence on how to prepare the British Armed Forces for the effects of escalating climate change, including increased unrest and conflict resulting from shrinking food and water resources and the displacement of peoples.
‘The report recommends that the Ministry of Defence alter the design of war games and strategic training exercises to account for “multiple simultaneous large-scale disasters” resulting from climate change, and to “support interoperability across the Armed Forces, emergency services, police, fire services and coastguard.”
‘The action today calls on the government to act to avert the increase in unrest, conflict and war anticipated by the Ministry of Defence report.
‘The Committee on Climate Change – which advises the government on emissions reduction and reports on their progress – revealed in June this year that the government had reached only two of its 31 milestones and was on track with only four of the 21 indicators identified on the path to zero emissions.
‘The action makes the point that, in this context, speaking up about consequences of unchecked warning is an act of remembrance’.
Got a story, blog or video? please email our team, in complete confidence, at contact@emergency-services.news. Featured image credit: Extinction Rebellion / Twitter.
BEFORE YOU GO – we have negotiated a fantastic deal from our partners at ‘Blue Light Insurance’ (see below) exclusively for Emergency Services News readers – limited time only.
How can you help Emergency Services News?
You can follow Emergency Services News on Twitter, and you can also subscribe, for free, to our newsletter, which includes a daily digest of our top stories and videos.
You can also find us on YouTube and LinkedIn.
Join our WhatsApp community!
ESN is now on WhatsApp, and we want you to join our 'read only' channel.
To join, you need to have WhatsApp on your device. All you need to do is click the link and press 'Join community'.
No one will be able to see who is signed up, and no one can send messages except the ESN team.You won't get any 'SPAM' just news stories & videos written & produced by our team of former emergency services personnel.
Joining our WhatsApp channel is a great way to help support our work and best of all, it is free!
If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community, click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Before you read or leave a comment...
In an age where mainstream media often overlooks the sacrifices made by our emergency services personnel, Emergency Services News is a critical fact-based voice you can trust
While we persist in our mission, we need your help to continue. Your donation directly enables us to produce high-quality content that elevates the stories and challenges faced by the men and women who serve, stories that are often ignored elsewhere.
We deeply appreciate your support. Your contribution empowers us to keep shining a light on the remarkable, yet often overlooked, individuals who serve our communities every day. Thank you for standing with us.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
As an ex servicemen I have no problems with remembrance Sunday , I simply tre4at it with the utmost respect not make some idiotic statement and show a complete lack of respect for the Cenotaph and what it represents.
I have personally spoken to member of XR, the Green Party and Friends of the Earth. Guess what. None of them knew the current level of atmospheric CO2 and could not come up with a figure of what sort of reduction would be ideal. They further had no idea of how photosynthesis works and the results of the process.
Plants absorb CO2, retain the carbon and release the oxygen. In the process, combined with warmth and water, they grow. The more CO2, warmth and water plants receive, the bigger they grow. How else is the world supporting a population of 7.7 billion and growing by 1% a year compound?
Homo Sapiens is an animal like any other. Without food or water we die. So, outside of war zones and workers’ paradises like North Korea and Venezuela, where are the famines? Ethiopia, which kicked off the Live Aid movement, has seen its population double since then. What are they eating?
CO2 is a life giving gas and is not a pollutant. The sooner everyone realises this the better.
As for XR, they are a borderline criminal organisation dedicated to causing as much mischief as possible. This latest story is just one more manifestation of the depths to which they are prepared to sink. The sooner they are proscribed and any rally or demo immediately broken up the better.
Excellent comments there Kevan, cannot agree more.
There are other ways to protest without insulting the armed forces who gave their lives to give this guy the freedom
to make a protest. Ex serviceman or not this is not right.