Extinction Rebellion targets Cambridge businesses from ‘polluting industries’ with spray paint

Yesterday (April 30), rebels from Extinction Rebellion (XR) Cambridge took to the streets as part of a wider XR initiative “#NoGoingBack” which calls for an end to business as usual once lockdown is over.

In particular, XR is calling for the government to refrain from bailing out polluting industries during this coronavirus crisis.

XR Cambridge told The Cambridge Tab that this activity formed part of their “daily exercises” and that they aimed to “raise awareness of big local polluters.”

One of the main targets of XR Cambridge’s action was Schlumberger, a company that XR Cambridge has previously protested against that is involved in oil extraction operations across the globe.

#Schlumberger, hosted at @Cambridge_Uni, is the world's leading oilfield services company. Its research seeks to maximise fossil fuel production. Today we symbolically locked its gates shut – it causes endless air pollution, making #Covid_19 much worse and even transmitting it. pic.twitter.com/m9ngA0T5Zm

— XR Youth Cambridge (@xryouthcambs) April 30, 2020

In the above tweet, XR Cambridge comments on the links between the University and the company.

The rebels chained the gates to the Schlumberger site and pasted a “Closed for Good” sign on them. On the building itself, the activists spray-painted a message reading “no going back, no more oil.”

An XR rebel standing with one of their posters. Photo credit: Extinction Rebellion Cambridge Press Team

The Land Rover dealership on Newmarket Road was also a target of the XR rebels.

Air pollution is killing us and spreading pandemics. No bailouts for dirty industries. Economic recovery measures must create a clean economy not revive a dirty one.

#NoGoingBack pic.twitter.com/6BO4CPq4lD

— XR Cambridge (@xr_cambridge) May 1, 2020

XR Cambridge spray-painted “No going back. Let us breathe!” on the building, as well as pasting several “Closed for Good” posters on the door.

Marshall, a defence company that owns Cambridge airport and several car dealerships, was also a target of the protestors. XR has claimed that due to its airport traffic, Marshall is one of the biggest polluters in Cambridge.

KPMG appears to have been the latest target of XR Cambridge, once again because of having ties to the oil industry.

"We advise … refining and oil service firms and national oil companies around the world – in North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia."

With @KPMG, you can buy evil on every continent 😈#NoGoingBack to business as usual. pic.twitter.com/8fIYp2s0DH

— XR Cambridge (@xr_cambridge) May 1, 2020

The rebels apparently stuck to social distancing measures as they carried out this protest, with all protestors wearing masks.

XR Cambridge has claimed that this action has been necessary within the context of this global pandemic, as “air pollution is killing us and helping spread pandemics” and that “the two are inextricably linked.”

They said: “We are very careful not to break the terms of the lockdown, but if the climate crisis is allowed to continue unchallenged, the consequences for global public health will be dire – much, much worse than the current pandemic. Many doctors, medical staff, and even the editor of The Lancet, a major medical research journal, have stated this but have been ignored by the government. We don’t have any more time, and the current crisis shows this.”

For XR Cambridge, now is a more crucial time than ever for their aims of climate justice to be achieved.

Cover photo credit: Extinction Rebellion Cambridge Press Team.