Extinction Rebellion vows to keep up pressure on Nottinghamshire County Council after 'die-in' protest

The environmental campaigners were demonstrating against fossil fuel investment in the Nottinghamshire pension fund and was held immediately before the Nottinghamshire County Council pension fund committee meeting at the venue.

Protestors laid down at the main entrance steps to enact a death scene before calling for the committee to immediately sell their fossil fuel shares.

Among those demonstrating was Stephen Lowe, the renowned Nottingham playwright.

He said: “I've got Parkinson's, but it's important to get out to these events.

"This is the future not just for me but for my children and my grandchildren.

"We all have to come together in the effort for the planet.

"We have to spread this light, change the consciousness of this building and this council."

No roads were blocked by the protest, which took place peacefully.

Leora Hadras, from Extinction Rebellion (XR), said: “This is the sixth time XR have been outside County Hall during the pension fund committee meetings.

"During this time the pension fund's oil and gas industry investments have been falling fairly dramatically in value.

"The oil and gas industry is the primary source of carbon emission that are driving global heating and therefore killing life of Earth.

"The collapse of fracking, the growth of renewables and the effects of Covid-19 means this industry is in big trouble.

"Continued use of petrol and diesel vehicles are polluting the air in our city.

"For all these reasons, XR Nottingham will not stop its campaigns and protests until the county council-run pension fund committee make the ethical and financially sensible declaration to divest.”