Climate Protesters Disrupt Wimbledon Tennis Matches, Shut Down Welsh Coal Mine
HAVANA TIMES – In the United Kingdom, members of the climate action group Extinction Rebellion shut down operations at the nation’s largest coal mine Wednesday in a nonviolent civil disobedience action. The open-pit mine in South Wales had been operating without a license. Elsewhere in the U.K., climate protesters disrupted play at the Wimbledon tennis tournament twice on Wednesday, throwing orange confetti on the court and displaying T-shirts reading “Just Stop Oil.” On Thursday, youth climate activists disrupted a speech by U.K. Labour Party leader Keir Starmer, accusing him of U-turning on his pledge to fund a transition away from fossil fuels.
Climate activist 1: “Young people want action.”
Climate activist 2: “Which side are the Labour Party on?”
Keir Starmer: “We are on the side of economic growth.”
Climate activist 2: [inaudible]
Keir Starmer: “Will you just let me” —
Climate activist 1: “We need a Green New Deal right now.”
Keir Starmer: — “please, get on with this? Thank you very much.”
Climate activist 1: “Stop making U-turns, Keir. We need a Green New Deal.”
Keir Starmer: “We have already — will you just let me finish this, and I’ll come and talk to you about it? Thank you very much.”
Climate activist 2: “We spoke” [inaudible] —
Climate activist 1: “We’ve tried to speak to you about it, but you haven’t replied to us, Keir.”
Climate activist 2: “You haven’t replied. Give us an opportunity.”
Climate activist 1: “We need a Green New Deal right now.”
In Sweden, Greta Thunberg and other youth climate activists have been charged with “disobeying the police” for peacefully blocking oil tankers at a port in Malmö last month. If convicted, the protesters face fines and up to six months in prison.