To all Fed members based in London, be aware that in the upcoming weekend, from Friday 21st April to Monday 24th April, the climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion (XR) will be hosting a number of protests across London that may impact a number of your businesses. Please find below the following protest dates and where they will be impacting.
Friday April 21st 2023
There will be several marches taking place throughout the day:
- Christian Climate Action
- This group will be hosting a religious service at St John’s Church in Waterloo from 11:00 to 13:00. Other attendees include the Salvation Army and CAFOD.
- Following this service, a procession will be held from the Church to Belvedere Road (Waterloo), stopping outside Shell, and continuing across Westminster Bridge to stop in Parliament Square.
- The entire procession will be taking place in the Waterloo area.
- XR Walkers plan to walk to Parliament Square, with eight different routes planned to reach the location:
- Richmond (18km)
- Colliers Wood (15km)
- Clapham Junction (10km)
- Beckenham (16km)
- Parliament Hill Hampstead Heath (10km)
- Hertford to Enfield (30km – This will be taking place on 20/04/2023)
- Enfield to Parliament Square (25km)
- Forest Gate (18km)
- March to Stop Bristol Airport Expansion
- From 13:30, protestors will march from Trafalgar Square – Whitehall – stop outside Downing Street – Parliament Square – Victoria St – Horseferry Road – Department of Transport. This will finish by 15:00 approximately.
Protest against MOD
Across from the MOD on Richmond Terrace, there will be protestors holding a picket here on the 21st and the 24th between 10:00 and 18:00:
- Fashion
- Between 13:00 and 18:00, protestors will gather outside the Ministry for Culture, Media and Sports on 100 Parliament Street.
- They will then gather outside of Parliament to join the wider protests outside Parliament.
Saturday April 22nd 2023
- Biodiversity March
- This will be an anti-clockwise route starting from Great Smith Street – Marsham Street – Horseferry Road – Millbank – Parliament Square.
- Will take place from 10:00 to 15:00, with the Unite for Nature Rally taking place at 13:00.
- This march will contain speeches, drummers and at later periods moments of silence.
- This march will be more of a peaceful family event.
- XR Riders
- From 10:00, numerous ‘feeder rides’ will begin in a number of parts of London, all meeting at Marble Arch at approximately 11:15 and joining the XR Big One Event at Parliament Square.
- These rides will being in the following locations: Swiss Cottage LT, Brook Green (W6 7BD), Islington Boer War Memorial, Wanstead Tea Hut and Swiss Cottage (NW33NR).
- The last these, at Swiss Cottage (NW33NR), will begin at 08:00.
Sunday April 23rd 2023
- Activity by XR will continue around Parliament Square
- This will coincide with the London Marathon. These events are not related.
Monday April 24th 2023
- A group are planning on using the area adjacent to Richmond Terrace to protest the role of the Ministry of Defence in climate change.
- This will take place from 10:00 – 18:00.
Picket Locations
In accordance with advice from the Met Police, there are a number of locations that may be seeing picketing from protestors. Please find below the list of potential locations:
- Parliament Square
- Lincoln Lawn
- George V Lawn
- Deans Yard
- Abingdon St Gardens
- Victoria Tower Gardens
- St John’s Garden
- Dept for Work and Pensions Caxton House, 6-12 Tothill Street London SW1H9NA
- Dept for Business & Trade Science Innovation and Technology 1 Victoria Street London SW1H 0NE
- Dept for Health and Social Care 39 Victoria Street SW1H0EU
- Dept for Education 20 Great Smith Street London Sw1P 3BT
- 55/57 Tufton Street London SW1P
- Dept for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs Nobel House 17 Smith Street London SW1P 3JR
- Home Office 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF
- Dept for Levelling up, Housing and Communities 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF
- Dept of Transport Great Minster House 33 Horseferry Road SW1P 4DR
Met Advice and Suggestions
Your people
- In the days leading up to the event, ensure all employees are fully briefed.
- Your premises should have a strong, visible management presence who should identify themselves to the police in the event of any trespassing or damage.
- Security officers, where possible, should be highly visible.
- All staff should remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to security and/or the police.
- Ensure all members of staff are fully aware of any emergency and evacuation procedures.
Your premises
- Minimise the number of entry points to your premises.
- Ensure the outside areas are clear of debris, dustbins, ladders, tools, or equipment.
- Check that your emergency equipment, grab bags, first aid supplies, and walkie-talkies are in place, easy to get to, and working properly. It is advisable to test them beforehand.
- Check and test building security and emergency systems.
- Ensure CCTV coverage is fully operational and can provide the highest recording resolution possible.
- If your building has scaffolding erected or is in close proximity to scaffolding, let your security staff know.
- Report any suspicious activity to police by dialling 999 in an emergency or call 101 if not an emergency.
To keep updated on proceedings, please follow @MetPoliceEvents on Twitter.
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