Extinction Rebellion activists to march through Portsmouth and pretend to be dead in climate change protest today

ENVIRONMENTALISTS will today march through Portsmouth in a bid to highlight harmful levels of pollution – before pretending to be dead outside the city’s corridors of power.
A die-in as part of a previous Extinction Rebellion demonstration in Hailsham, East Sussex. Picture: Peter CrippsA die-in as part of a previous Extinction Rebellion demonstration in Hailsham, East Sussex. Picture: Peter Cripps
A die-in as part of a previous Extinction Rebellion demonstration in Hailsham, East Sussex. Picture: Peter Cripps

Extinction Rebellion will lead the 2.1-mile trek from the junction of London Road and Stubbington Avenue, North End, to Guildhall Walk at 2pm.

Activists are expected to be wearing gas marks and dark clothing as they stop at seven pollution hotspots for short talks along the way.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

This will end in a die-in outside Portsmouth Guildhall at 3.45pm, when walkers will lay down and pretend to be dead in protest of climate change.

Extinction Rebellion demonstrators at a previous event on the steps of Portsmouth GuildhallExtinction Rebellion demonstrators at a previous event on the steps of Portsmouth Guildhall
Extinction Rebellion demonstrators at a previous event on the steps of Portsmouth Guildhall

Organisers have said no activities performed by those taking part will be illegal.

‘If you take part in the die in and are asked to move by a police officer, then if you simply comply with their request you will not have broken the law,' they said in a Facebook post.

‘If you choose not to move you may be placed under caution, but this is unlikely.’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Dubbed a ‘clean air procession’, the event has been organised in response to the latest report from Parliament’s Transport Committee.

Going forward the paper has called for priority to be taken off cars, with local authorities granted cash for walking and cycling infrastructure.

It found there are now 37million motor vehicles on Britain's roads compared to 15m in 1970, with 60 per cent of one-to-two-mile journeys made using a motor vehicle.

Today’s event comes after previous Extinction Rebellion rallies saw children and adults leave school and work to protest climate change.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

You can watch the start of the procession via a live video on The News' Facebook page at about 2pm.

Live video coverage will then continue as the demonstrators prepare for the die-in in Guildhall Square.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.