Extinction Rebellion activists vow to ‘step up’ action if government does not meet two climate demands

Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists have vowed to “step up their campaigns and actions” unless the government agrees to enter talks on two new demands.

At a press conference on Tuesday, the eco-group, along with Global Justice Now, Don’t Pay UK and PCS Union, issued two "ultimatums".

They are demanding that the government stops licences and funding for new fossil fuel projects and that emergency citizen assemblies are created.

The ultimatum comes ahead of The Big One, a four-day protest outside Parliament from Friday until April 24.

Extinction Rebellion says that if ministers fail to respond by 5pm on Monday, April 24 with an agreement to create a plan to deliver the demands, it will “step up their campaigns and actions across the country to force them to do so”.

More than 200 organisations are supporting the protests, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth, XR said.

Some 28,000 people have so far said they will attend the protest, although XR expects more to join the demonstrations over the course of the weekend.

The group said it does not intend to disrupt the public or target the Coronation of King Charles III next month.

It acknowledged the capital would be busy this weekend with the London Marathon on Sunday.

“The four days of The Big One will see the people deciding what to do next if the government lets us down yet again by failing to meet our deadline,” said Rob Callender of XR.

“By 5pm on Monday, April 24, the people will have delivered a plan for stepping up their campaigns.”

“Within three months, XR will have designed a plan for the greatest acts of civil disobedience in this country’s history.”

Earlier this year XR said it would “temporarily” stop using public disruption tactics in 2023 after a year of protests that caused chaos on Britain’s roads, sparking angry clashes with motorists.

The group said it would continue to protest against the “abuse of power” by vested interests who it said were “addicted to greed and bloated on profits” but would stop using public disruption as a “primary tactic”.