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Climate protesters target London law firms

Extinction Rebellion activists are expected to target major law firms in a wave of protests in London over the next two weeks, according to the Law Society Gazette of England and Wales.

The campaign group told the Gazette that protesters would focus on legal services, financial services and insurance services, as these sectors had made a “real contribution to the crisis”. The group has not, however, disclosed any specific plans.

The Gazette quoted Extinction Rebellion as saying that the City of London was the “arch-financier” of the carbon economy, and was “knowingly investing in the destruction of the conditions which make the planet habitable”.

‘Critical enablers’

The City’s hosting of BP, Shell, Glencore and Anglo-American, as well as Russian companies such as Gazprom and Rosneft, was cited.

“The world’s largest energy company, Saudi Aramco, raised $12 billion via UK debt-markets. These deals are supported by our top City law firms and our insurance industry, the critical enablers of the carbon economy,” Extinction Rebellion added.

Last February, law firm Slaughter and May was targeted by environmental campaigners in protest at its advice to fossil-fuel companies.

In October 2019, Lawyers for Extinction Rebellion gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice and handed out “declarations of rebellion”, with one campaigner dressed in gold as ‘Lady Justice’.

Earlier that year, the campaigners parked a blue boat outside the main entrance of the Royal Courts of Justice, emblazoned with the words “act now”.