Extinction Rebellion target London Fashion Week: Protesters pour fake oil over red carpet demanding an end to sponsorship deal with ‘world’s biggest plastic polluter’ Coca Cola
- About 30 climate change activists took part in the protest outside fashion show
- Eco-zealots poured fake black oil on a red carpet and set of black smoke bombs
Extinction Rebellion protesters set off smoke bombs and covered the floor in black paint as they targeted London Fashion Week today.
In the group’s latest stunt, about 30 eco-zealots stormed 180 The Strand – where the fashion show is being staged – in a protest against the ‘world’s biggest polluter’, Coca-Cola.
Climate change agitators in white overalls paraded up and down a red catwalk before drenching it in fake oil from two giant Coca-Cola bottles, as others set off black smoke grenades around them.
Demonstrators also held large banners outside the world-leading fashion event, saying ‘Cut the ties to fossil fuels’ and ‘Coca-Cola: World’s top plastic polluter’ as they demanded London Fashion Week organisers drop Coca-Cola as a sponsor.
Marijn van de Geer, a spokesperson for the group, said: ‘Coca-Cola are an evil company that holds a lot of responsibility for the destruction of biodiversity and of our planet. They are a major plastic polluter.
Extinction Rebellion protesters staged a demonstration outside the penultimate day of the London Fashion Week on Monday morning
‘London Fashion week should be ashamed of having them as a sponsor. They should not be helping Coca-Cola’s image. They are doing a lot of harm and it needs to stop.’
The eco-warriors’ action comes as part of Extinction Rebellion’s ‘Cut The Ties to Fossil Fuels’ campaign, which will see a major protest being staged in Westminster on April 21.
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Tom Maidment, 38, a sales manager from East Sussex, was among the protesters in the capital today.
He said: ‘Coca Cola is one of the world’s biggest and most recognisable brands, yet they contribute massively to the climate crisis due to the amount of plastic they use unnecessarily – they are the top producer of plastics that pollute the world, plastics that are made of oil.
‘Sponsoring events like the London Fashion Week allows them to polish their brand and ensure they continue to be a ‘reputable’ household name across the world.’
Also there was 59-year-old self-employed gardener Nancy, from Alton in Hampshire, who said: ‘Our plastics addiction is feeding climate change… We are literally drowning in plastic; in our oceans and on the land. This is a climate, health and social justice issue.’
Extinction Rebellion is urging major corporations like Coca-Cola to axe its use of fossil fuels to power factories and create plastics.
It comes ahead of its major protest in Westminster in April, in which organisers hope to see 100,000 people gathering outside the Houses of Parliament.
Eco zealots poured fake oil on a red carpet before letting off smoke grenades in a demonstration against fossil fuels and Coca-Cola (pictured)
Ms van de Geer added: ‘Governments are not listening to protesters like ourselves. It’s absolutely devastating. When we started in 2018 we didn’t think we would have to be here five years later.
‘We’re very close and teetering on the edge of a climate change catastrophe and we should all be terrified. But we have to let that fear move us into action rather than apathy of feeling overwhelmed.’
Coca-Cola has insisted it is taking action to reduce its environmental impact.
The company has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 per cent by 2030, adding that it ‘shares the goal of eliminating waste and appreciates efforts to raise awareness’.
The firm also said it remains committed to collecting and recycling ‘a bottle or can for every one we sell by 2030’.
The Met Police has been approached for comment about today’s protest.
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