Extinction Rebellion protesters dragged away after hijacking Lord Mayor’s parade
Extinction Rebellion protesters were dragged off the road after hijacking the annual Lord Mayor’s parade in the City of London.
A number of activists have been arrested for blocking the route of the show this afternoon.
Protesters dressed up wearing giant heads depicting Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak while others locked themselves together in the street.
Spectators could be heard booing as riders on horseback were forced to stop, grinding the new Lord Mayor’s golden state coach to a halt.
A City of London Police spokesperson said: ‘We are aware of a group of protesters in the City today. City of London Police officers are engaging with the group to minimise disruption. A number of arrests have been made.’
The Lord Mayor’s Show dates to the 13th century and is the first official engagement of a new Lord Mayor.
Despite the disruption, the parade eventually continued and Vincent Keaveny was sworn in at the Royal Courts of Justice as the 693rd person to hold the office.
Extinction Rebellion said the action was in response to the ‘failure’ of Cop26 in Glasgow, which went into overtime on Friday as nations across the world failed to reach a deal on averting the worst impacts of climate change.
They said they wanted to deliver ‘the Children’s Charter’ to the Lord Mayor, which calls on him to ‘prioritise the next seven generations above the short-term greed that focuses on wealth accumulation right here in the City of London’.
Miranda Duncombe, a mother and member of the XR Families group, said: ‘Cop has failed to deliver the transformative changes needed to keep us at 1.5C of warming, a complete betrayal of our children.
‘If the City of London was a country, it would be the ninth largest emitter in the world. The City’s banks and asset managers provide loans and investments for the projects and companies that are killing us.
‘I am here for my children’s future. Our Government has failed to act to protect them. I’m calling for the City of London to divest from fossil fuels immediately for the children everywhere who are dying due to the climate crisis and those who will die in the future.’
The Lord Mayor of London serves as the elected head of the City of London Corporation and their terms last one year.
The 2021 procession included full-size model elephants, Japanese drummers, and a horse-drawn bus, while the state coach is the oldest ceremonial vehicle in the world still in regular use, according to show organisers.
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