Climate activist who cycled from Brighton to Cop26 protests with Extinction Rebellion

A group of cyclists set off on a nine-day bike ride to the climate summit from Brighton on Tuesday, October 26, with the aim of travelling 60-miles a day.

The pack was made up of Extinction Rebellion and Eco Action Families campaigners.

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On Tuesday, Extinction Rebellion protesters gathered outside the JP Morgan offices in Waterloo Street, Glasgow, accusing the company of investing and directing investment into polluting industries.

The street was subsequently closed for one block due to the demonstrators.

Among the protesters was Aidan Reilly, who was part of the Brighton to Glasgow bike ride.

The 37-year-old nuclear engineer said the protest was targeting one of the world’s largest fossil fuel investors, JP Morgan.

“We would love COP26 to be a success but unfortunately, because of the vested interests and incompetence in the British government, we think it’s going to be a failure,” he said.

“I think this protest will achieve very little - because of the vested interests - but we do what we can.

A group of cyclists set off on a nine-day bike ride to the climate summit from Brighton

“If that money were directed into renewable energy, we’d all be better for it.

“It doesn’t even mean sacrificing your profit, for the greedy ones interested in that - there is a lot of money in renewable energy.”

It is thought that the firm’s Glasgow staff are working from home during the climate conference.

Each night on the nine-day journey from Brighton to Glasgow, which finished on November 1, the cyclists held a climate quiz in the town they stopped in, with the aim of hearing the local views on the climate crisis.

A free vegan food stall was also set up to feed protesters, many of whom were drumming and chanting in support of speakers standing outside the buildings main entrance.

Extinction Rebellion protest outside the JP Morgan offices in Glasgow

A London-based Extinction Rebellion activist, who wished to only be identified as Robin, said: “JP Morgan are one of the top investors in fossil fuels.

“Coming from an Afro-Caribbean community, the West Indies are in danger. We’re here calling them out.

“There are other ways of making money. The majority of my white brothers and sisters in this part of the world need to realise it’s down to them.

“They are the biggest emitters of fossil fuels. America, Canada, Europe need to sort themselves out.”