Posted on by Thuy Bui
(Photo credit: Duong Bui)

Hundreds of protestors across London took to the streets in a march towards Trafalgar Square on Saturday to demand climate justice, in solidarity with the Global Day of Action worldwide called by campaigners at COP27.

The event, organised by the Climate Justice Coalition, called for “an urgent response from governments and leaders to climate and other multiple linked crises,” as well as “bring movements together” to speak out on climate inaction.

A member of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) Kelvin, who took part in the march, said: “British government should spend more money on renewable energy and cut spending in oil companies.”

Kelvin, a member of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, in the protest/Photo credit: Duong Bui

The 72-year-old resident from Oxford also commended that the new oil and gas licensing, lifted by the UK government in September, is incompatible with the urgent action that needs to be taken to cut climate pollution.

In Trafalgar Square, members of different non-profit organisations gathered carrying banners and chanting slogans about protecting the environment and asking for system change.

According to a member of the Stand Up To Racism group, Rachel, injustice and racism are at the root of the climate crisis, with multinational corporations and rich countries exploiting resources and leaving low-income communities to suffer the consequences.

Rachel, a member of the Stand Up To Racism organization, in the protest/Photo credit: Duong Bui

Rachel said: “We should stand up to fight racism and climate chaos.”

She further added that climate actions must be intersectional, and the British government needs to do more in restructuring everything from the production of energy and food to the construction of buildings and transportation.

Meanwhile, a member of the Revolutionary Communist Group Bruno criticised the UK government as well as big corporations for doing everything just for profit, and not for the well-being of the people.

Bruno, a member of the Revolutionary Communist Group, in the protest/Photo credit: Duong Bui

Bruno said: “I don’t have faith in the government, so I think it’s up to the people to decide what’s the right thing to do to tackle climate change.”

Another marcher Peter Springs, who has been working for the Extinction Rebellion since 2018, said: “Governments around the world are failing to stop the expansion of oil and gas.”

Peter Springs and Ann, members of Extinction Rebellion, in the protest/Photo credit: Duong Bui

While his co-worker Ann added: “Coming from a rich developed country, I feel very guilty about the amount of CO2 emissions, and we are seeing the results already.”

Ann said: “There are droughts in Africa and if people think it’s not going to affect this country, then they are wrong. It’s already happening. We are already losing people in heat waves and all the floods we’ve seen in Europe.”

She also added: “I just hope people wake up and put pressure on the government so that they help other countries that are suffering.”

On Saturday, activists also staged the march inside the COP27 conference center in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, the biggest action to take place at the climate conference so far.

Protests also happened elsewhere in big cities, including Edinburgh, Lisbon, and Paris, in support of the march at COP27.