PROTESTERS from across Pembrokeshire joined climate activist groups taking part in several days of protests in central London, demanding more action to tackle the climate crisis. The West Wales Climate Coalition, Friends of the Earth, and local Extinction Rebellion groups were busy last week, getting the word out and arranging transport and accommodation, and were ‘overwhelmed’ by the response.

“The numbers just kept growing,” said Sian Vaughan, a retired head teacher from Fishguard. “As soon as the first bus filled up we needed to arrange a second one. We’ve had to print more leaflets to distribute.”

The protesters gathered in London to call for more action to tackle the climate crisis, with groups of activists chanting and dancing outside government departments on Friday. More than 30,000 people had said they would attend the protests, branded ‘The Big One,’ between April 21 and April 24.

While Extinction Rebellion has previously adopted methods of direct action, with activists blocking roads and glueing themselves to objects to prevent police from moving them on, climate activists have promised protests this weekend will not disrupt the London Marathon, which took place on Sunday.

Supporters of the protest group Just Stop Oil attended Friday’s demonstration, attempting to recruit participants for slow marches, which it plans to carry out next week. Protesters held signs calling for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to scrap plans to develop the Rosebank oil and gas field that lies west of Shetland.

Doctors in their scrubs protested outside the Department of Health and Social Care, including Dr. Daniel Roberts, an accident and emergency registrar, who attended the protest wearing a large mosquito costume. He said he came to London for the weekend because “the effects of pollution and climate change will cause a massive health crisis.”

“We’re standing on a very busy street now, these health pollutants will cause dementia, asthma, lots of respiratory diseases, and stunt growth,” he said. “I’ve worked in refugee camps, I’m carrying a huge mosquito because there is more malaria, more dengue (fever), there are so many more problems than people realize.”

Jen Newall, a former university scientist, said she left her career due to the reality of climate change, which she described as “absolutely terrifying to the point it paralyzed me.” “I’ve come down to London really to speak truth to power ultimately,” she said.

“Any new oil and gas is a death sentence to the majority, they (the Government) are handing out death sentences. There cannot be any new oil and gas for a livable future.”

Ms. Newall said the campaign group started this year with a “very clear” change to their protest “tactics and strategy,” moving away from more infamous disruptive protests it has carried out in recent years.

“We are listening to the public attitude, and we understand that disruption doesn’t bring everybody on board,” she said. “We don’t really want to be alienating anybody because, ultimately, we need everybody in this fight for our future. We will ensure that we can still have our voice without having to disrupt the marathon.”

Despite concerns of disrupting the London Marathon, the protests were peaceful and did not cause any significant disruptions to the event. Protesters gathered in Westminster to call for immediate action to address the climate crisis, and they vow to continue their efforts until meaningful action is taken.