Police have arrested climate activist Gail Bradbrook for conspiracy to cause criminal damage after her group attacked two London banks.
Bradbrook poses as she and others block the road during an Extinction Rebellion demonstrationImage: Henry Nicholls/REUTERS
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A spokeswoman for the Extinction Rebellion group on Tuesday said one of its cofounders had been arrested by officers from London's Metropolitan Police.
The group said Bradbrook had been arrested on charges relating to its action campaign against financial institutions known as "Money Rebellion."
"Extinction Rebellion cofounder Gail Bradbrook was arrested by officers from the Metropolitan Police at her home in Stroud at around 5:30 a.m. this morning for conspiracy to cause criminal damage and fraud in relation to Money Rebellion's debt disobedience," a spokeswoman for the group said.
Activists from the Extinction Rebellion smashed window frontages of HSBC and Barclays in the British capital in March. The group also targeted the Lloyds of London insurance market as part of its action.
Extinction Rebellion protests go global
The activist group organized worldwide protests on Monday to force radical action on climate change. Police arrested hundreds of protesters for disrupting traffic or violating bans on demonstrations.
Image: picture-alliance/PA Wire/V. Jones
London, UK
Police arrested 217 people in London on Monday. Extinction Rebellion protesters blocked traffic and glued themselves to cars. Sarah Lasenby, an 81-year-old retired social worker among the arrested, told the Associated Press, "It is imperative the government should take serious actions and put pressure on other states and global powers to radically reduce the use of fossil fuels."
Image: picture-alliance/AP/J. Brady
New York City, US
Protesters in New York City doused the famous statue of the bull near Wall Street with blood and staged a "die-in" in front of the New York Stock Exchange. Police arrested around a dozen demonstrators.
Image: Reuters/M. Segar
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
More than 100 people were arrested in Amsterdam after blocking a road in front of the Rijksmuseum. The city had banned the activists from protesting there, but demonstrators went ahead with the protest anyway. One poster read, "SORRY that we blocked the road, but this is an emergency."
Image: Imago-Images/Hollandse Hoogte/S. Joosten
Sydney, Australia
Hundreds of people staged a sit-in on a busy road in Sydney before the police began making arrests. Activist Jane Morton told AFP, "we have tried petitions, lobbying and marches, and now time is running out." Australia's conservative government has been reluctant to improve environmental policy, choosing instead to support the continued exporting of coal.
Image: Getty Images/L. Maree Williams
Dublin, Ireland
With a march through Dublin, Extinction Rebellion demonstrators in Ireland kicked off a "week of action" calling for a greater response to climate change. Protesters held a mock funeral for the planet and parked a pink yacht in front of Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar's office.
Image: picture-alliance/empics/N. Carson
Berlin, Germany
Around 1,000 protesters in Berlin blocked the Grosser Stern, a roundabout in the middle of the German capital. 300 more blocked a central square with couches, tables, chairs, and flower pots. In total, over 3,000 people joined demonstrations in Berlin. The protests come as the German government is on the brink of passing a climate bill that many have criticized for being too weak.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/M. Sohn
Paris, France
In central Paris, around 1,000 protesters blocked the area around Chatalet. Some chained themselves to barrels while others swore to stay there overnight in makeshift tents. Protesters waved banners with slogans like "Burn capitalism, not petrol."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Mattia
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The spokeswoman added that the fraud allegation stems from a campaign to use personal credit card debt to make donations to groups allegedly damaged by banks. The borrower would then refuse to pay off the debt.
Who is Gail Bradbrook?
The 49-year-old Bradbrook, who holds a doctorate in molecular biophysics, has said she believes only large-scale civil disobedience can bring about government action on climate change.
She started Extinction Rebellion in 2018 along with her former partner Simon Bramwell, and organic farmer and activist Roger Hallam.
The group says the UK and other countries are acting too slowly to stop climate change. It also accuses the Western financial system of fueling the abuse of the planet.
In April 2019, Extinction Rebellion rose to prominence when it occupied five prominent sites in central London over several days.
