Extinction Rebellion: Climate activists block entrance to Lloyds of London headquarters

Protesters are calling for insurance sector to stop backing fossil fuel industry

Extinction Rebellion activists blocked the entrance to Lloyd’s of London this morning in protest at the insurance sector’s backing of the fossil fuel industry.

Demonstraters gathered at the insurance giant’s Lyme Street office at around 7am on Tuesday morning and prevented employees from entering.

XR said its aim was to close Lloyd’ss for the day. The group is demanding that the firm stops insuring fossil fuels projects.

It highlighted the Trans Mountain Pipeline - and oil pipeline - extension in Canada, which the group claims is being insured through Lloyd’s marketplace.

The protest forms part of a week of action by XR in the capital as it seeks to draw attention to the climate crisis.

Protesters block the entrance to Lloyd’s of London (Extinction Rebellion)

On Monday XR ran a non-violence training course in London to prepare new recruits for a planned wave of protests.

The climate change group held the session in Hyde Park on Monday morning, after holding large demonstrations in the capital over the weekend.

A total of 38 activists were arrested on Sunday after crowds of people sat in the road to block traffic on Lambeth and Vauxhall Bridges, the Metropolitan Police said.

Meanwhile, Just Stop Oil claimed to have disrupted oil supplies at three sites in a tenth day of action. Police said the group's tactics were "exceptionally dangerous" and are putting themselves and officers at "unacceptable" risk of harm.

In the protest at Lloyd’s, people used superglue, chains and bike locks, to block over twenty-five entrances to the building. Staff already inside were allowed to exit.

Climbers also scaled the outside of the iconic building and dropped two banners, saying ‘End Fossil Fuels Now’ and ‘Insure Climate Justice’.

Others stuck stickers on the windows that said ‘Stop Insuring Trans Mountain’. There was also a performance outside from the Dirty Scrubbers, Tea Ladies, CorpRats and Orchestrated Discontent.

Clare Walmsley, a spokesperson from Extinction Rebellion, said: “We’re here to demand an end to all new fossil fuel investments and insurance. By underwriting the world’s most deadly fossil fuel projects, they are creating climate chaos – floods, famine, wildfires and death.

“Insuring new oil and gas projects in the North Sea will do nothing to solve the cost of living crisis either. Instead, it locks us into a system that’s already pushing millions into poverty.”

A Lloyd’s spokesperson said: “Lloyd’s supports safe and constructive engagement on climate change and we’re continuing to work to support a responsible transition. In the interests of our people’s safety, we have advised Corporation employees and market participants not to come to the building today. The market remains open and trading is continuing online using our remote capabilities.”