Climate activists from Islington and Lewisham have come together to demand the Government does more to reduce fossil fuel emissions across the country.

XR Islington and XR Lewisham joined other activists groups outside the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in Whitehall Place today (April 24).

The groups gathered for the final day of the ‘Big One’, a mass demonstration headed by Extinction Rebellion.

The four days of action end today, and have brought together more than 200 groups demanding an end to fossil fuel projects nationwide.

David Kennard, from Lewisham, who spoke to this paper from outside DESNZ this afternoon, claimed that there had been a “brilliant” turnout at the protest.

He said: “It’s been absolutely brilliant. There is a high level of activity around Islington – they really are a fantastic, politically aware lot and they are keen to make their point known.

“They’re not content to sit down and bash things out on a keyboard and they are determined to make a stand on the issues that are affecting them.”

He added: “This really is a very broad representation that people are deeply unhappy by the Government’s inaction on so many things.”

Speakers criticising the Government for “subsidising” the continued use of fossil fuels have been outside the department's headquarters since 8am this morning.

Other groups joining the protest included Don’t Pay UK, a grassroots campaign to defy energy bills amid rising costs, and Fuel Poverty Action, which campaigns to protect people from fuel poverty.

David said: “The climate emergency is an emergency that goes beyond biodiversity, it’s also a fuel poverty emergency.

“One thing all the groups here today have in common is that we want to tell this government that we need real, meaningful action right now.”

David also praised the police response to the protest, claiming that officers were “very helpful and managed the traffic”.

It comes as Extinction Rebellion said it would move away from disruptive methods of demonstration.

The group, whose members have previously blocked roads and glued themselves to objects to prevent police moving them on, claimed it would now “prioritise attendance over arrest and relationships over roadblocks”.