Extinction Rebellion carries out silent shoe vigil in Barnstaple Square

Extinction Rebellion members have carried out a silent vigil beside 100 pairs of children’s shoes in Barnstaple Square to symbolise the young lives that will be lost if the world does not act on climate change.

Socially distanced members of XR North Devon, wearing masks and keeping two metres apart, stood in the heat of the midday sun on Thursday, June 25, to make their point.

It was done on the day the Climate Change Committee published its 2020 report to Parliament assessing progress in reducing UK emissions in the past year.

An XR spokesperson said the news was not good, with ‘woeful inactivity’ meaning the 2050 targets set for carbon emissions were unlikely to be met.

They said: “The shoes symbolise the young lives, not just here in North Devon, but across the world, which will be hugely affected, if not entirely lost, if we do not act on climate change.

“We are failing to implement the urgently needed changes in our businesses, our industries and our total cultural and economic model that we need to protect lives and livelihoods.”

The protest was followed by a slow procession through the town to deliver a letter to the office of Selaine Saxby MP (she was unable to meet the group of protestors as she was in Westminster) demanding that she speak out on the Government’s failings.

To read the full climate report, CLICK HERE.