Extinction Rebellion protester accused of hypocrisy on LBC Radio for using a taxi instead of public transport

The climate change activists Extinction Rebellion are currently occupying several areas of central London in an attempt to get politicians to declare an environmental emergency.

Stunts have included occupying Waterloo Bridge and glueing themselves to underground trains, buildings and even Jeremy Corbyn's garden fence. More than 300 arrests have reportedly been made.

Their actions have seen the group win a lot of support on social media, but some still remain sceptical as evidenced by an exchange between one of their representatives and Sky News presenter Adam Boulton on Wednesday.

Another Extinction Rebellion representative, Rupert Read, ran into a confrontation with a broadcaster on Wednesday when he was labelled a hypocrite by LBC Radio's Iain Dale.

After facing down questions on how humanity can actually begin to reverse the dire consequences of climate change, Dale asked Read how he intended to 'take the rest of the population with him.'

Well, we're making a start and we are getting a hell of a lot of support. I was on Waterloo Bridge this afternoon which has, in effect, been turned into a pedestrianised and cycle-friendly zone and a real garden bridge.

The atmosphere there is fantastic. Loads of ordinary passers-by and citizens are supporting us. I then took a taxi to get to a meeting and the taxi driver was hugely supportive.

Dale then cut him off and asked if the taxi was run on electricity adding, 'Why didn't you use the tube?' Read replied:

Well because I was in a terrible rush and I'm a human being like anyone else.

Dale fired back and accused him of being a hypocrite.

Ahh, I see, well don't you think that is slightly hypocritical.

Read attempted to be defiant in his response.

No, I don't Iain. Look, you're going to say something like, 'You ought to live in a cave.'

Dale cut him off again.

No, you want us to live in caves. That's the problem. You want us to de-industrialise the economy so we go back to the 1830s.

Read responded.

Do you know what I want Iain? For us to survive. I want us to give our children a world where they can survive and flourish and it is as drastic as that. 

We need to be absolutely clear. The time lags in the system means that even if we stop all carbon emissions tomorrow the climate would go on deteriorating for another generation.

We're not calling for that. We are calling for drastic changes, drastic reductions as soon as possible, it's not about going back to the stone age it is about major, major changes.

We've got to get our heads around that. If we just tinker around the edges then this civilisation is going down. We are not going to make it.

We are not going to leave a world that is liveable for our children and that is the worst crime imaginable.

HT LBC

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