Extinction Rebellion must reconsider their tactics after a botched stunt, according to a local councillor.
Councillor Steve Race has criticised the tactics of socio-environmental group Extinction Rebellion (XR) after a protest in Westminster backfired earlier this month.
Eight XR campaigners were arrested after 1,800 litres of fake blood intended for the Treasury building accidentally landed on civilians.
Cllr Race, who represents Labour in Hoxton East & Shoreditch, suggested this the stunt was a move back to “dangerous old tactics”.
“Whilst I’m broadly supportive, there is a fine line between legitimate protest and unnecessarily affecting people’s lives,” he warned.
Race believes that he is speaking in the interests of his local constituents, who he argues often have short-term concerns more urgent than the environment.
“Lives are tough in this ward. For some residents it is about surviving and doing the best they can with very little,” he said.
Cllr Race subsequently advised the group to reach-out and involve local residents to ensure that their message “speaks to everyone”.
Race was speaking ahead of XR’s two-week protest aiming ‘peacefully shut-down central London’, which started on Monday. Some 800 people have already been arrested.
The Hackney branch of XR was unable to respond to a request for comment.
