A group of protestors will gather outside a town hall with a tug-of-war display.

Campaigners from Divest East Sussex, Lewes climate hub and Extinction Rebellion will be outside Lewes town hall tomorrow morning to protest against investment into fossil fuel companies.

The protest will take place outside Lewes County Hall, where East Sussex County Council’s full council meeting will be happening at the same time.

In what is set to be a “spectacle”, the crude oil mechanicals, a theatre group from Sussex, will perform a puppet show in the street.

Characters include Lord Oil and Lady Gas, as well as Wind, Sun and a nine-foot ‘corporate oil giant’.

The puppets will perform a tug of war to show how fossil fuels and climate action are incompatible.

“It is going to be a visual representation of our protest.”

Divest East Sussex has been protesting against East Sussex County Council for many years, calling for it to cease investment of pension funds into fossil fuel companies.

Sarah Hazlewood, a pensioner from Hanover, said: “The council claims to be on the side of climate action but as long as it continues to invest in giant oil companies, it is not.”

The group is also demanding East Sussex County Council supports what it calls a “proper” windfall tax on oil companies and oppose the Government’s renewal of fracking and “dash for North Sea gas”.

According to Divest East Sussex, East Sussex County Council runs the pension schemes for Brighton and Hove residents, and for other organisations including University of Brighton.

East Sussex County Council declared a climate emergency in 2019, joining many other local authorities.

The protesters will march from Lewes station up towards the town hall, and then into the town centre.

Ms Hazlewood said: “We want people to notice us and we are doing this on the day of the full council meeting so council will not be able to ignore us.”

Ms Hazlewood said she expected around 40 people would attend the protest, but hoped the number might be higher once people see the spectacle in the town.

She said: “Everyone is welcome and we want as many people as possible to come.”