Campaigners from Fossil Free London interrupted the ‘Republican Overseas UK State Visit Dinner’ at the Windsor Guildhall on Monday 15 September. Republican supporters had gathered to “celebrate the state visit of Donald J Trump” – including one notorious Talk TV host.
Trump visit to the UK: activists disrupt Republican supporter’s state dinner
The group chanted:
If you drill baby drill, how many will you kill?
Activists held up banners reading “oily money kills” as security removed them from the building:
Attendees slapped and punched those protesting:
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Rupert Murdoch hack (and self-confessed out-of-shape old guy) Andre Walker was there dragging out one protester – who accused him of trying to “kick him in the balls”:
Mr Walker denies blah blah blah.
Meanwhile, academics have warned Trump’s ‘Drill Baby Drill’ fossil-fuel push has set back global environmental progress decades.
This comes as a report by risk experts, that they published in January, argues previous assessments ignored the severe effects of the climate crisis. They believe it could now leave up to 4 billion dead by 2050 at 3°c or more degrees of warming.
Trump’s ‘drill baby drill’ policy will kill billions
Ahead of Trump’s visit, he’s been attacking the UK’s transition away from fossil fuels towards renewables. He has been pressuring the UK to double down on oil and gas instead.
This is whilst the UK government is expected to make a final decision to approve or reject the controversial Rosebank oil field in the coming months, as owner Equinor prepares to resubmit its application for development.
The Republican supporters held the dinner just minutes away from Windsor Castle, where king Charles is hosting president Trump this week.
This protest joins a series of actions against Trump’s visit to the UK. The Stop Trump Coalition has planned a large demonstration in central London on Wednesday.
Director of Fossil Free London Robin Wells said:
‘Drill baby drill’ will kill billions. That’s not just according to us. That’s according to the straight laced men and women of the insurance industry. The Institute and Faculty of Actuaries think almost a half of the world’s population will lose their lives due to climate impacts in our lifetime. This cascading risk is the greatest security threat our world has ever known.
But Trump wants us packing salt into the wounds of our planet to benefit him and his billionaire mates. He better think again. It is up to us to stop Trump strong-arming our politicians. We need to stop the drilling. If not, we won’t keep living. From the North Sea’s Rosebank oil field to Greenland and the USA, we must keep it in the ground.
Featured image and additional video via Fossil Free London
By The Canary
This post was originally published on Canary.