London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Sunday, Apr 20, 2025

XR steward says ‘handful of naughty people’ wanted to disrupt London Marathon

XR steward says ‘handful of naughty people’ wanted to disrupt London Marathon

Up to 50,000 activists are in Westminster for the third day of a protest dubbed ‘The Big One’, with the race and rally intersecting near Parliament

An Extinction Rebellion (XR) activist stewarding people near the TCS London Marathon said there were “a handful of naughty people” who would have liked to block the race to protest about the climate situation”.

Up to 50,000 XR activists are in Westminster, central London, for the third day of a protest dubbed “The Big One”, with the race and rally intersecting as runners pass the Houses of Parliament.

The proximity of the two events had sparked fears climate protesters could try to disrupt the annual race.

XR said they would not intentionally do so but direct action protest group Just Stop Oil (JSO) refused to say whether activists might attempt to interrupt it.

"We wish the marathon every success"

Michel, 63, who withheld his last name, lives in Brussels, Belgium, but travelled to central London for Extinction Rebellion’s four-day protest.

Speaking at a barrier to the race route near Parliament on Sunday, he told the PA news agency: “I’m supporting the Extinction Rebellion group and today we are helping the event of the London Marathon as a steward because we would like to stop people from disrupting the race.

“There are a handful of naughty people who would like to block the race to protest about the climate situation.

“We believe a handful of people might want to do an action to block the race to protest that we are not doing anything for the climate and we would like to stop that because we don’t believe it’s necessary.”

London Marathon director Hugh Brasher previously said his talks with XR had prompted the agreement that “they will be uniquely asking all their participants to help guard the London Marathon”.

In a statement, XR member Olly Baines said: “We have worked closely with the London Marathon over six months to make sure that we can safely co-exist during this weekend.

“Yesterday, with the biggest march for nature ever to take place in the UK at the same time as the Mini Marathon, the two events passed peacefully and without incident.”

He said the same arrangement was being repeated on Sunday, adding: “We all want clean air, pure waters and a healthy green planet.

“We wish the marathon every success.”

XR activists, who unfurled a “climate emergency” banner in front of the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square, were among the applauding onlookers as marathon runners passed.

By early afternoon, no-one appeared to have attempted to disrupt the race along the famous section of the marathon route.


XR activist Tom Crowther, 22, who cycled from Kent to attend the climate group’s four-day protests, said: “I think a lot of the people who are supporting the marathon probably also support a lot of the values of Extinction Rebellion.”

On speculation that protesters could try to disrupt the race, he said: “I do think it’s quite a desperate situation that we are in globally and I wouldn’t think badly of them (if anyone did disrupt the race).

“But I’m here to support the people who are running.

“I also hope nobody does (disrupt it) but we’ll see, everyone been told not to.”

Marathon event director Mr Brasher had advised people to “watch the marathon from other locations and avoid the Parliament Square area on the day” because it would be busy.

But large crowds of spectators turned up anyway to cheer on runners such as Sir Mo Farah.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
This is Vienna, Austria in 2025.
Boeing Jet Returns to US from China Amid Tariff War
Canadian Federal Election: Candidates' Positions on US-Canada Relations and Donald Trump
Resentencing Hearing for Menendez Brothers Who Killed Their Parents Delayed Amid Legal Disputes
Australian Woman Gives Birth To Stranger's Baby In IVF Mix-up
US Sets Deadline for Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal Brokerage
Italy Introduces 'Sex Rooms' in Prisons for Inmates
California Launches Legal Challenge Against Trump Administration's Tariffs
"Groundless": China Dismisses Zelensky's Claims It's Supplying Arms To Russia
UK Psytrance Festival Cancelled Amid Local Protests Over Noise Concerns
French Far-Right Writer Renaud Camus Denied Entry to UK
UK Police Force Updates Search Policy for Trans Individuals in Custody
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni Meets with Donald Trump to Discuss EU-US Trade Tensions
Canada's Federal Party Leaders Engage in Final Debate Ahead of General Election
Ukraine and US Sign Outline of Minerals Deal
Fast Food Chain Refuses to Apologize for Online Comment About Katy Perry's Space Voyage
New York Attorney General Letitia James Faces Criminal Referral for Alleged Mortgage Fraud
Mark Cuban admits support for Trump executive order: ‘Gotta be honest’
US Senator Meets with Deported Immigrant in El Salvador Amid Custody Dispute
U.S. State Department Raises El Salvador’s Safety Ranking, Making It Safer Than France and Other European Nations
UK Government Assumes Control of British Steel's Scunthorpe Plant Amid Shutdown Threat
UK MP Wera Hobhouse Denied Entry to Hong Kong During Family Visit
Bangladesh Issues Arrest Warrant for UK MP Tulip Siddiq
China Urges United States to Cancel Tariffs Amid Escalating Trade Tensions
The Empire’s USD Pyramid Scheme Is Working Brilliantly—So Why ‘Fix’ It?
China Raises Tariffs on U.S. Goods to 125% Amid Escalating Trade Dispute
Elon Musk Reports $150 Billion in Projected Government Savings Amid Fraud Investigations
U.S. and Panama Finalize Defense Agreements Amid Canal Access and Chinese Influence Concerns
China Stands Firm Amidst Trade Disputes with the US: A Factual Analysis
U.S. Tariff Escalation Sparks Global Trade Tensions
Helicopter crashes in NYC with four people on board.
Australia Dismisses China's Suggestion to Collaborate Against US Tariffs
EU Postpones Response to US Tariffs
The Trump Administration is contemplating removing Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges.
Violent Incidents and Public Safety Concerns Escalate in London and County Durham
UK MP Arrested on Suspicion of Rape and Child Sex Offences
UK Gears Up to Respond to US Tariffs with Industrial Strategies and Trade Initiatives
‘Rocky’ star Dolph Lundgren and his wife Emma Krokdal bask in the Miami sunshine following the actor’s lengthy health struggles.
Spain Encounters Countrywide Protests as Housing Crisis Intensifies
Alisha Lehmann's Modeling Campaign and Public Controversy Stir Debate Ahead of UEFA Women's Euro
U.S. Firms with Major International Revenue Exposure in Light of New Tariffs
President Trump Calls on the Federal Reserve to Reduce Interest Rates in Light of New Tariffs
President Trump Prolongs TikTok Sale Deadline by 75 Days
Global Markets Dive Amid Rising U.S.-China Trade Conflicts
British comedian Russell Brand faces charges of rape and several sexual assaults.
Kanye West Reveals in a New Song That His Wife Bianca Censori Has Departed from Him
Actor Jean-Claude Van Damme Accused of Having Sex with Human Trafficking Victims
Tom Cruise Pays Tribute to Val Kilmer at CinemaCon
Europe Pursues Digital Autonomy Amidst Transatlantic Strains
OpenAI Lands Unprecedented $40 Billion Funding.
×