EXTINCTION Rebellion (XR) activists from across Britain gathered in London’s Trafalgar Square today, kicking off two weeks of action demanding that the government stop investment in fossil fuels. 

Campaigners opened the Impossible Rebellion calling for all of those affected by the climate emergency to be given a seat at the table of discussions on how to tackle the impending disaster. 

A four-metre-high pink table landed at an intersection near Leicester Square station, with the words “Come To The Table” written across it, before four activists climbed on top of it to occupy the square. 

Gail Bradbrook, co-founder of the activist group, began the day with a speech expressing solidarity with nations that are disproportionately affected by climate change.

She said: “Our leaders in government and business have been failing us for years — they are taking us over a cliff.

“Why don’t they act? They are wedded to a corrupt political economy, centred in the City of London, that extracts vast profits from communities and nature, and depends on destructive economic growth for its survival.”

The protest is expected to attempt to disrupt London to “target the root cause of the climate and ecological crisis” in the coming days, with demonstrations scheduled in central locations — similar to those in 2019 — with more due to take place in both north and south London.

The group says that thousands are expected to attend protests, with continued disruption until the government agrees to stop all new fossil fuel investment immediately.

The action comes just months ahead of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, with XR claiming that the British government has shown few signs of true climate leadership as Greta Thunberg accused it of lying about its climate success.