Banners hung from Shropshire bridges in Extinction Rebellion action
Climate activists have hung huge banners protesting the climate emergency from bridges around Shropshire at the beginning of a fortnight of action.
Extinction Rebellion (XR) groups coordinated to hang banners from bridges including the famous Iron Bridge in the Ironbridge Gorge and the Frankwell footbridge in central Shrewsbury to kick off the organisation's 'September Rebellion'.
Banners have also been unfurled in Chirk, Bishops Castle and Clun, in support of a protest outside the houses of Parliament in London.
The banner on the Iron Bridge refers to the area's heritage, with the 'industrial' in 'industrial revolution' crossed out and the word 'renewable' written over it.
The banners on either side of the Frankwell bridge say "no future in fossil fuels" and "love not hate – we grow as one".
Dave Ashdown of XR Telford said: "Our key message from this would be to write to your MP and ask them to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill which has been written by a number of leading scientists and ecologists.
"The bill already has the backing of a number of environmental organisations and is set to be sponsored by Caroline Lucas as a private member's bill, and now we are calling on Shropshire's MPs to back it.
"Over the course of the next two weeks we will be both participating in actions here in Shropshire while also supporting the rebellion in London."
In Bristol, two people have been arrested after blocking the city's Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Banners also appeared alongside the A49 at Ludlow and at Leominster. “Shropshire was the birthplace of the industrial revolution,” said XR Ludlow & Leominster member Bryony John, “and today Extinction Rebellion is calling on the UK government to lead the world again.
"We want the government to support the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill and tackle the climate crisis head on.
"We need to urgently slash emissions and switch away from fossil fuels, but the UK is nowhere near on-track to meet even the government’s too-late 2050 carbon target, let alone the ones scientists say we need to hit in 2025 and 2030.
"We need real leadership on this issue yet our government is ignoring the science and failing to act.”
Learn more about the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill at ceebill.uk.
A Telford man is among five who have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage in London.
Steven Nunn, 56, and four others were arrested earlier this week and they have been remanded in custody until their court date next month.
The others are Roger Hallam, 54, of Wandsworth, Diana Warner, 61, from Bristol, Ferhat Ulusu, 42, of Hackney in east London and Holly Brentall, 28, of Haringey in north London.
As reported in the Evening Standard, an Extinction Rebellion spokeswoman said all five except for Nunn are definitely connected to the climate change group.
