Extinction Rebellion cycle ride in Oxford is cancelled

Extinction Rebellion activists had organised the cycle tonight, from Oxford city centre to East Oxford, but have had to postpone.

An organiser told the Oxford Mail this was due to not having enough people to marshal the ride, meaning participants' safety could have been at risk. 

About 60 people had expressed interest in attending via a Facebook event page, which stated: "The mass cycle on public roads aims to create transient disruption.

"The aim is to highlight XR action in London and get the climate crisis message out."

They were due to leave from Radcliffe Square at 5.30pm and travel to Iffley Road.

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The most direct route would have been via High Street, Magdalen Bridge and The Plain roundabout.

Extinction Rebellion activists have been occupying sites around Westminster this week, and some moved on to London City Airport yesterday to protest carbon emissions caused by air travel. 

Oxford residents Zuhura Plummer and Ben Kenward blocked the entrance to the airport alongside dozens of others from the group.

Some protesters glued themselves to the ground while one even climbed onto the top of a plane as it was boarding.

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Office worker Ms Plummer, 35, said: “Flights are some of the most unfair forms of carbon emissions.

“I wish I didn’t feel I have to do this, but look at the science – look at where we are heading if we don’t change what we think is important and valuable.

“Flights abroad may be cheap for us now, but it is our children and grandchildren who will be paying for them.”

Mr Kenward, a senior lecturer in psychology at Oxford Brookes, added: “We all seem to be sleepwalking towards disaster.

“I’m willing to risk my liberty to help people to wake up to what is going on.”

Metropolitan Police said more than 1,000 people have now been arrested this week in the protests, including around 50 at the airport today.