Activists painted a series of murals on hoardings at a train station in protest at Government action on climate change.

A group of people, who associate with Extinction Rebellion, painted onto the hoarding at Wivenhoe train station on Saturday.

The drawings showed a sequence of a flower, with an image of the earth inside it, being plucked of its petals by a hand, which they say symbolises the destruction of the environment.

One artist, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I’m part of the group from Extinction Rebellion and we have been involved in putting up a mural.

“I’ve been told that they will be painted over next week.

“The police must have had some debate on whether this was a political issue or not but they have decided to take it down.

“The police were called but we left before they arrived.

“It’s quite a relevant piece to do.

“The aim was to draw everyone’s attention which worked, and very much so.

“As we were painting, people came up to us, children came up to us.

“We came to explain to them the issues we were exploring.

“It was a productive exercise to inform people about climate change.

“The paintings are not an eyesore, the hoarding around the station has been however.”

However Wivenhoe councillor Cyril Liddy condemned the actions of protestors.

He said: “It’s obviously it is not something that should be done anywhere.”

Extinction Rebellion is a socio-political movement with the goal of halting environmental damage.

Gazette:

  • The protest in London - picture PA

So far, hundreds of arrests have taken place in London as protesters block bridges in a call for the Government to declare an environmental emergency which must be prioritised.

Police officers from Essex and counties across the country have been drafted in to help with the protests in London.

The British Transport Police were contacted for about the Wivenhoe incident, but did not respond before the Gazette went to print.