Silent protesters in Hackney call for citizens’ assembly on lockdown easing

Environmental activists made their voices heard with a silent protest in Hackney.

Members of Extinction Rebellion Hackney stood quietly for an hour outside Hackney Town Hall on Saturday to ask the government for a citizens’ assembly on the UK’s easing of coronavirus lockdown rules.

The campaigners believe giving a representative body a vote at every governmental level will ensure both people and the planet are prioritised.

Joe Coroneo, a member of Extinction Rebellion Hackney, said: “At this critical moment, it is an opportunity for local government and councils in particular to lead by example and set about rebuilding our economy differently.

“In Hackney in particular, we can’t go back to having polluted streets. We can’t go back to a local economy dependent on fossil fuels.”

Arrests were made at similar protests in Parliament Square and Hyde Park.