Extinction Rebellion Attack Labour HQ With Smoke Grenades

For the second time in three days, the Labour Party has been targeted by climate activists, with Extinction Rebellion protesting in Parliament Square at the weekend involving an effigy of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer dressed as Margaret Thatcher. Now, taking things a step further, Labour HQ has been attacked by XR with smoke bombs and fake oil.

The climate activists climbed onto the building’s entrance yesterday and set off smoke grenades, while another activist chained himself to a handrail.

Other Extinction Rebellion (XR) protesters held up banners which read: “Labour, cut the ties to fossil fuels”.

The Metropolitan Police said it responded to the incident after being contacted at 9am on Monday, finding that “one person had locked themselves on to a pillar on the building and two people had scaled the canopy outside”.

“Specially trained protest removal teams made sure protesters were removed from the building quickly and safely,” the force added.

“Two men have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and remain in police custody at this time.”

The demonstration was at the party’s headquarters in Blackfriars Road, Southwark, southeast London, and followed an XR protest in Parliament Square on Saturday involving an effigy of Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer dressed as Margaret Thatcher.

The protest group demands that any future Labour government takes “urgent action” to cancel hundreds of new oil and gas exploration licences in the North Sea.

XR is also demanding a manifesto commitment from Labour to make the transition to renewable energy an “urgent priority”.

Commenting on the demonstration, an XR member said: “We demand an end to all new fossil fuel licences, including cancelling any awarded by this zombie Tory government before the next election.”

Last month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended a planned expansion of oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, claiming it is “entirely consistent” with the government’s goal to reach net zero by 2050.

Sir Keir has pledged to end North Sea exploration, saying the end of oil and gas extraction “has to happen eventually” and the “moment for decisive action is now”.