Feargal Sharkey: Fierce campaigner announces new sewage pollution protest date urging 'outraged' public to 'unite' and 'demand action'

Sharkey, one of the loudest voices against sewage pollution, announced the new protest and its date today (Wednesday 21 August) on X, formerly Twitter. He posted on X: “It's time! It's time to #floodthestreets. It's time to #floodthestreets with your rage, your anger, and your disappointment.

“It's time to take control. Join me, March for Clean Water, Sat 26th of October 2024, Parliament Square London. Turn your outrage into action.”

According to River Action, a UK-based environmental campaigning body committed to rescuing Britain's rivers, the protest is to “demand that our new government takes urgent action to address the UK’s alarming and dangerous water pollution crisis”. The March for Clean Water will take place on 26 October - timed to mark the end of the first 100 days of the new government and days before the Chancellor’s first budget due on 30 October.

The protest will involve many well-known personalities including river campaigner Feargal Sharkey. River Action is also urging “everyone who cares about clean water to unite and march through central London to Parliament Square on Saturday 26th October.” The campaign group added: “The march is inclusive, accessible, step free and everyone is welcome to join. Marchers are encouraged to wear blue to symbolise clean water; to let their creativity run free and bring noise, placards, puppets, posters, banners, costumes, marching bands and musical instruments.”

The March for Clean Water is co-ordinated by River Action and Feargal Sharkey in close collaboration with Surfers Against Sewage and major charities and governing bodies including the Clean Water Sports Alliance, British Rowing, British Canoeing, Greenpeace, RSPB, The Women’s Institute, The Wildlife Trusts, Angling Trust, SOS Whitstable, Wildlife and Countryside Link, The Rivers Trust, Ilkley Clean River Group, Soil Association, Windrush Against Sewage Pollution and many local community groups from across the country. Sharkey said: “It stops here, it stops today, it stops now.

“End pollution, end polluting for profit. Government must order an urgent root and branch review of the failed oversight and regulation of the water industry.  It is now time to hold to account those industries that for too long now have been allowed to knowingly and wantonly pollute our waters driven by nothing more than profit and greed. We call on everyone in the country who is concerned or angry at the state of our waters to join us and march.”

Chair and Founder of River Action, Charles Watson said: “The initial noises coming out of our new government regarding cleaning up our filthy waterways, whilst encouraging, do not nearly go far enough to deal with the scale of the problem they have inherited. Nothing short of wholescale reform of our failed regulatory system and comprehensive strategies to address all major sources of pollution, including sewage discharges and agricultural run-off, will suffice. On October 26 the public will make this point very clear to Sir Keir Starmer in no uncertain terms.” 

If you would like to sign up to join the protest you can visit the March for Clean Water website.