Climate activists have protested during a service at Lichfield Cathedral.
The group from Extinction Rebellion and Christian Climate Action held up a banner at the service on Sunday (18th December).
It comes after a similar protest at Derby Cathedral earlier this month.
Mary Smail, a spokesperson for the groups, said:
“The climate crisis is the most urgent challenge of our time and scientists say it is getting worse even faster than expected – without a habitable planet we will lose everything we hold dear and unimaginable horrors await us. Everything else pales into insignificance.
“We know full well that global warming is caused by the burning of fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas. We find it unacceptable that the Church of England is making money from holding investments in fossil fuel companies.
“It’s time for the church to step up and demonstrate moral leadership – we are calling on all parts of the Church of England, both locally and nationally, to immediately divest from fossil fuels.”
Mary Emails
The groups defended their decision to disrupt the service at the cathedral.
“If the nature of our protest has upset anyone we apologise for that, but would ask people to consider the amount of upset that will be caused by climate collapse.
“We are already seeing floods and droughts leading to the mass displacement of populations.
“Things are going to get much, much worse if we stick our heads in the sand and carry on business as usual.”
Mary Smail
The protest came on the same weekend as groups gathered for a silent vigil at Speakers’ Corner to raise awareness of climate change issues.
