Extinction Rebellion: Hundreds of climate protesters blockade Lloyd's of London

Hundreds of climate protesters have formed a 'blockade for life' around the entire Lloyd's of London building in the capital, saying they will not let anyone in.

Extinction Rebellion activists across the world are taking part in a global week of co-ordinated action, calling it the 'Insure Our Future' campaign. It has seen dozens of events staged in cities across 27 different countries, including London, New York, Tokyo and Zurich, to highlight the insurance industry's role in financing the climate crisis.

On Wednesday afternoon (28 February), Extinction Rebellion said their 800-strong team had linked hands to form a 300 metre-long human chain around the Lloyd's of London building on Lime Street, allowing staff to leave - but refusing to allow anyone to enter or re-enter. Spokesperson Marijn van de Geer said: "We are all standing here today risking our freedom because the climate and ecological crisis is getting so bad, so quickly that we can’t see any other way to get our voices heard.

"The people inside this building have the power to pull the plug on the very worst climate-wrecking fossil fuel projects by refusing to insure them. We’re calling on them to recognise their power - and use it now. They can be climate heroes, change the course of history."

She said protesters would remain on site until close of business today, and invited all staff to come and talk to them - or even join them. Lloyd's of London was also invited to a community assembly on 5 March, she added, "where we can all work together to find a way forward".

Pete Knapp, of XR Scientists, said that insurers could play a vital role in the scaling down of fossil fuels and the scaling up of renewable energy. "But they need to speak much more closely with experts in climate science, social science, ecology, and health. Everything is interconnected and we all need to talk to each other and act immediately to save billions of lives and huge swathes of the natural world."

NationalWorld has approached Lloyd's of London for comment. London's Extinction Rebellion chapter has been involved in a number of other protests targeting insurers this week, who they say are refusing to stop insuring "climate-wrecking" oil, gas and coal projects.

On Tuesday (27 February) teams "infiltrated" the offices of five other top insurers in the City of London; Tokio Marine - housed in the city's iconic Walkie Talkie building - Probitas, Talbot, Travellers, and Zurich. All were occupied by protesters for much of the day.

They demanded that company bosses meet with them to talk, after last week sending an ultimatum letter to 40 different insurers with three key demands - including an immediate and complete ban on insuring new and expanding oil, gas and coal projects.

This comes as the world has just experienced its warmest year on record - with forecasters already warning 2024 could be even hotter. Scientists have been urging the global community to radically cut greenhouse gas emissions, particularly those from burning fossil fuels, to prevent further warming, with each fraction of a degree further destabilising the Earth’s climate.