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Grandparents protest against climate change
A group of grandparents and elders from Bristol have staged a protest at the Government Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in London. Five of the pensioners locked themselves together in the foyer and refused to leave for more than five hours, demanding that Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Greg Clark hear their concerns about fracking
The protesters were members of campaign group Grandparents for a Safe Earth, who say they simply want the Earth’s ecosystems to stay as intact as possible for their future generations. To aid this they spend their time travelling to events across the country to protest. In basic terms, they say they want to help make the world a better place.
Founder member Phil Kingston, 82, was one of the protesters who locked themselves together
Last year the group travelled to Southampton to protest outside the ExxonMobil oil refinery. They also held a presentation at the Climate Coalition AGM in July 2017.
Their demonstration at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy came after MP Greg Clark overruled a local planning decision in Lancashire that could allow fracking to take place anywhere in the UK without the need for planning permission. Police were called by staff at the building but no action was taken, and the protesters eventually left when it became clear that no minister intended to see them.
The protest lasted more than five hours and police were called but no charged brought
In a statement, the group said:
“We are here at your office today in order to underline our extreme worry about our Government’s current policy. We are not wanting to cause trouble to you or your staff, but we intend remain here peacefully, out of concern for future generations. We can do no less, particularly in view of how the law has recently been applied to stifle democratic protest.
“We are protesting while there is still time.”
To find out more about Grandparents for a Safe Earth, visit www.network23.org/gfase
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