Police search for evidence against ‘commuters who carried out vigilante-style attack’ on Extinction Rebellion protester who stood on Tube train at Canning Town
- Police are investigating commuters involved in violent scenes with XR activists
- Several ugly videos emerged after XR targeted London tube station Thursday
- Footage seems to shows protesters dragging protester, kicking and beating him
- XR targeted Canning Town station during rush hour to wreak commuter havoc
Police are investigating and seeking to acquire evidence on a number of commuters who ‘carried out a vigilante-style attack’ on an Extinction Rebellion protester who scaled a tube train.
Angry commuters dragged climate demonstrators James Mee, 35, and Mark Ovland, 36, from the roof of a train as they attempted to bring chaos to the capital’s morning rush-hour on Thursday.
In video taken during the incident it then appeared as though a scuffle broke out between the protester and the commuters.
Eight XR protesters were arrested as a result of the action but British Transport Police have now confirmed that the commuters involved are also being investigated.
Extinction Rebellion activists James Mee and Mark Ovland at Canning Town station in East London
James Mee, 35, and Mark Ovland, 36, were dragged from the top of a Tube train at Canning Town before apparently being attacked by commuters
Commuters at Canning Town station reacted furiously to an XR protester climbing on top of their train. Eight XR protesters were arrested as a result of the action but British Transport Police have now confirmed that the commuters involved are also being investigated
Pictured: Angry commuters pull the doctor from the train in Canning Town, east London, in ugly scenes
The XR gang who caused chaos for London Underground commuters were later identified as a Buddhist teacher, a doctor, a grandfather and a vicar.
Mark Ovland gave up his full-time Buddhist teacher training studies earlier this year to join XR as a ‘full time protestor’. Other XR campaigners joining him in the Tube action included pensioner Phil Kingston, 83, who earlier this month was pictured standing on top of a fire engine as activists sprayed 1,800 litres of fake blood over the Treasury.
Self-described Green Christian Ruth Jarman, a 56-year-old vicar, was also pictured protesting on the London Underground network.
Authorities are acquiring evidence against a number of commuters who were involved in Thursday’s violent rush hour scenes.
Green Christian Ruth Jarman (left), 56, was also pictured protesting on the network, as she offered assistance to pensioner Phil Kingston (right)
Pictured: Jarman at the DLR station in Canning Town, east London, as Phil Kingston glues himself to the carriage
Buddhist trainee teacher Mark Ovland (left in left picture, and right) was among those arrested at Caning Town Thursday for scrambling atop a tube
The latest development comes after Extinction Rebellion received criticism and even left members of its own camp divided for choosing to target the underground station during rush hour.
Several videos surfaced of ugly scenes at Canning Town station, showing one protester walking on top of the train as a crush of commuters jeer at him to get down.
One throws a cup of coffee over the him and a group then give another commuter a boost so he can reach the protester’s ankle and drag him off the carriage to the platform.
Chaos: XR activist Mark Ovland is dragged off the train by irate commuters at Canning Town station, East London
Once he hits the ground, the video shows, an angry group of commuters surround him and some were caught on camera seemingly kicking and attacking the man, before a London Underground employee steps in.
Before 7am protesters arrived en masse at the east London station and unfurled a banner reading ‘business as usual = death’. At least two scaled a train as it waited to depart sparking violent fury from commuters.
In a statement Extinction Rebellion acknowledged one of their own protesters had turned violent on Thursday morning.
XR said: ‘We are aware that one of our activists responded in self defence in a moment of panic when confronted by a threatening situation. He acknowledges his accountability for this action and we offer gratitude for members of the public who helped to protect him.’
The group went on: ‘The people involved today did not take this action lightly. They were a grandfather, an ex-buddhist teacher, a vicar and a former GP among others who acted out of rational fear for the future as this crisis deepens.’
It was revealed that nine out of ten members of Extinction Rebellion were against the London Tube protests that sparked violent scenes.
In a poll of more than 2,000 members on an XR discussion forum, 88 per cent said they did not want the Tube protests to go ahead.
Some now fear the ‘arrogant attitude’ of a small minority acting under a ‘banner of anarchy’ will lead to further violence.
Even supporters of the Tube protests feared that disrupting ‘poorer’ commuters and ‘people of colour’ would confirm the idea that the group is white and middle class
Four protesters were arrested at Canning Town and Stratford and a further four were arrested at Shadwell where demonstrators had glued themselves to an electric DLR train.
Mahatir Pasha, who filmed the video at Canning Town, told GMB: ‘When I was there it was absolutely shocking scenes. I didn’t expect to see anything like it.
‘We heard a big thud on top of the train. The driver made a short announcement. One like I’ve never heard before: ‘Hey what are you doing’, and the line cut off.
‘I saw two men standing on the train. They pulled out a banner. They said something along the lines of ‘We’re all going to die’.
She said the police arrived quickly once things ‘got violent’ and said a TFL member of staff ‘did his absolute utmost’ to protect commuters.
Commuters took to Twitter to point out the consequences of the group’s actions
She said that one of the commuters shouted: ‘Look I’m just trying to get to work and feed my kids.’
On Twitter commuters pointed out the disruption had caused them to switch from the tube to a relatively more polluting car this morning.
Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell defended the Tube action and said: ‘The public, I don’t think, realise quite how serious this situation is.’
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she added: ‘It is still peaceful, and it is still non-violent.
‘People did a similar action in April on the DLR train, those people were safe.
‘It makes them vulnerable, and that’s what people are there to do when they put their body on the line.
‘There is a vast vulnerability that people have in the face of climate and ecological emergency.’
Spokesperson Valerie Milner-Brown said: ‘This is disruption with a purpose since we will all encounter far greater disruption in the future if we don’t radically change our society.
‘We can already see the horrifying early effects of the climate and ecological emergency in parts of the Global South and it’s clear that this will be coming our way soon.
‘Government needs to start taking seriously the deep concerns of tens of thousands of experts and scientists globally, so that we can create a society that is built to put resilience and community before profit.’
XR spokesman Howard Rees, 39, said: ‘Was it the right thing to do? I am not sure. I think we will have to have a period of reflection. It is too early to say. I think we need to take stock of it.’
It was revealed that nine out of ten members of Extinction Rebellion were against the London Tube protests that sparked violent scenes.
Source: Read Full Article