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Gibraltarian among those arrested at climate change protest

An 85-year old Gibraltarian man was one of 27 arrested while protesting against climate change during a day of action organised by Christian Climate Action and Extinction Rebellion.

Reggie Norton, who turns 85 today, spray painted extinction logos on the windows at the Department of Business, Industrial Strategy in London on Monday.

He was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage but is yet to be charged.

The Intergovernmental Panel published a report on Climate Change and highlighted the “potential catastrophic effects” on the planet by 2030 which prompted this week’s action.

The activists dropped two banners from Westminster Bridge reading “Climate Change” and “We're F****d”.

They later tried to block the entrance to Downing Street, holding up food containers reading 'food shortages coming', with some lying on the ground and one gluing himself to a fence.

The protesters then moved on to a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs office and spray painted a wall with the message: “Climate emergency. Frack off. Climate breakdown equals starvation”.

Mr Norton told the Chronicle he does not regret breaking the law or getting arrested, and will be taking part in another action this weekend.

He said: “The action was organised to raise awareness with the governments of the world that if things do not change, we could see the extinction of the human race.”

“If we want to get the government’s attention these days, we have to keep doing things to get their attention.”
“There are only 12 years left and a lot that still needs to be done.”

Mr Norton has called for a reduction in emissions and the increased use of renewable energies to “stop the destruction of the planet caused by irreversible climate change”.

He said the government has had decades to reduce emissions, but has instead focused on economic growth which has been to the detriment of the environment.

Mr Norton was born in Gibraltar but moved to London during World War Two. He stayed there during his school years and moved back to Gibraltar in 1971.

In the 80s, he moved back to London and worked with Oxfam and spent some years working in Latin America and in Washington DC as well, before moving back to the UK and settling in Oxfordshire.

A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: “A number of protesters placed a large banner on Westminster Bridge.”

“A short time later a number of criminal offences, including minor criminal damage, were committed in the Downing Street and Whitehall area.”

“27 people have been arrested for various offences.”

It is believed more civil disobedience demonstrations are being planned.

Pic by Christian Climate Action

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