Climate protesters dig up Cambridge college's lawn

By Elizabeth Howcroft

 

The lawn of Trinity College is seen after being dug up by Extinction Rebellion climate protesters, in Cambridge, Britain February 17, 2020 in this picture obtained from social media by REUTERS

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Extinction Rebellion climate protesters dug up the lawn of Trinity College, Cambridge on Monday, as part of a week-long series of demonstrations in Britain's ancient university town.

 

The activists dug up the grass in front of the 16th-century "Great Gate", digging channels in the turf with shovels and pitchforks and planting Extinction Rebellion flags.

 

Trinity had ramped up security measures, closing the college, library and chapel to tourists for the week, so the protesters were not able to access the central "Great Court."

 

"The College respects the right to freedom of speech and non-violent protest but draws the line at criminal damage and asked the protestors to leave. The College is liaising with the police," a spokeswoman for Trinity said in a statement.

 

"Academics at Trinity are actively engaged in research to understand and develop solutions to climate change, and taking practical steps forward," the statement said.

 

An email to Trinity students said "we expect disruption to continue in Cambridge this week, and should continue our patience and resilience with the access arrangements, in the spirit of protecting College, our community and environment."

 

Extinction Rebellion climate protesters dig up the lawn of Trinity College, Cambridge, Britain February 17, 2020 in this picture obtained from a social media video. Twitter @Cambfoodtour/via REUTERS

 

Extinction Rebellion says it wants non-violent civil disobedience to force governments to cut carbon emissions and avert a climate crisis it says will bring starvation and social collapse.

 

"Trinity College must cut ties with fossil fuel companies and stop trying to hawk off nature for profit," Extinction Rebellion Cambridge on its Facebook page. "Oh, and it should take the opportunity to replace the lawn with flowers. Spring is just around the corner after all."

 

In anticipation of the week's protests, another of Cambridge's colleges, St. Catharine's, closed the main gate leading to its 17th-century court over concerns that Extinction Rebellion protesters would set up a campsite on the grass.

 

"One of Extinction Rebellion's oppositions is to green space being kept behind walls and only accessible to those in power and privilege," an email sent to students by the college's head porter said.

 

"Although our Main Court is actually open for viewing, there is a concern they may try to take it over and possibly camp on it," the email said.

 

Earlier this year, a group of students at the University of Oxford set up a camp in the front quad of St John's college for five days, to protest the college's investment in fossil fuel companies.

 

Inspired by this, climate protesters in Cambridge put up tents on the lawn in front of King's College.

 

(Reporting by Elizabeth Howcroft; editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-02-18

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While I think lawns are aestheically pleasing, they are in fact environmentally unsound in some ways.

 

But thats no reason to tear one up.

 

Perhaps Extinction Rebellion could do something to help the planet other than destruction...how about...stealth planting! Yes! Take some of the money they accumlate, buy some trees and have a planting! 

 

But that wouldnt involve mindless destruction and political posturing. Never mind.

Morons destroying others property. They think they will get sympathy?  chuck them in jail.

Given the amount of time that it must have taken for the protestors in the second photograph to have caused the damage the absence of a police response is remarkable!

 

Maybe the police had not "woken up" to the fact that blatant criminal damage was being carried out, openly, and for some time?

Edited February 18, 20206 yr by JAG

34 minutes ago, Nyezhov said:

While I think lawns are aestheically pleasing, they are in fact environmentally unsound in some ways.

 

But thats no reason to tear one up.

 

Perhaps Extinction Rebellion could do something to help the planet other than destruction...how about...stealth planting! Yes! Take some of the money they accumlate, buy some trees and have a planting! 

 

But that wouldnt involve mindless destruction and political posturing. Never mind.

 

I was reading this post and it occurred to me aat the same time they could have brought trees and planted them. That would have been meaningful. Looks like Cambridge has some nice rich dark soil. I hope the perps have to pay a lot of money to put the lawn the way it was.

 

They are lucky they didn't hit any gas lines that are buried.

Edited February 18, 20206 yr by Cryingdick

The murdering if innocent grass hardly seems something to save the planet - bunch of idiots

Disgusting low life's  ????

1 hour ago, JAG said:

Given the amount of time that it must have taken for the protestors in the second photograph to have caused the damage the absence of a police response is remarkable!

 

Maybe the police had not "woken up" to the fact that blatant criminal damage was being carried out, openly, and for some time?

The police would need to be invited on to college campus I believe , the demostrators may have been wrecking the lawn, but were they in breach of a law?

 

Gives the protesters a not so good name, seems like a useless thing to do, if you wanted followers and supporters, do not wreck others property

 

 

  

4 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

The police would need to be invited on to college campus I believe , the demostrators may have been wrecking the lawn, but were they in breach of a law?

 

Gives the protesters a not so good name, seems like a useless thing to do, if you wanted followers and supporters, do not wreck others property

 

 

 

". . . but were they in breach of a law?"

 

Does that question even need to be asked?

 

Edited February 18, 20206 yr by Tippaporn

1 hour ago, JAG said:

Given the amount of time that it must have taken for the protestors in the second photograph to have caused the damage the absence of a police response is remarkable!

 

Maybe the police had not "woken up" to the fact that blatant criminal damage was being carried out, openly, and for some time?

It’s unusual to see a police officer in the UK outside of city centers and transport hubs.

 

Apparently somebody thought it a good idea to cut their numbers by 20,000.

Looks like hard work. They'll need a good feed after that. I hope there's a McDonald's in Cambridge.

 

Ah yes, the peaceful intelligence of the climate change nazis in full display. 

48 minutes ago, Tippaporn said:

  

 

". . . but were they in breach of a law?"

 

Does that question even need to be asked?

 

Yes, it is private property, not public property, so a complaint would need to laid, there is a convention police do not enter UK University campuses for private matters unless invited

 

21 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

Looks like hard work. They'll need a good feed after that. I hope there's a McDonald's in Cambridge.

 

They do vegan???

31 minutes ago, Chiphigh said:

Ah yes, the peaceful intelligence of the climate change nazis in full display. 

‘Nazis’ you say.

23 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Yes, it is private property, not public property, so a complaint would need to laid, there is a convention police do not enter UK University campuses for private matters unless invited

 

Long dead after the Police raised the library of the City if Birmingham Polytechnic to remove a ‘lewd book’.

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s unusual to see a police officer in the UK outside of city centers and transport hubs.

 

Apparently somebody thought it a good idea to cut their numbers by 20,000.

That moron Theresa May....as a result, drink/driving has increased.

 

However, there is 24 hour security at Trinity.

 

 

28 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Long dead after the Police raised the library of the City if Birmingham Polytechnic to remove a ‘lewd book’.

Polytechnics are stae run, and Universities totally different. Lewd books in  public ownership libraries are not private property as a lawn at a college of a university is.

Silly bloody destructive behaviour anyway by the protesters win them no friends.

 

Must be reassuring for the likes of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and George Soros to know the millions they lavish on climate change activism is being well spent.

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

The murdering if innocent grass hardly seems something to save the planet - bunch of idiots

Do you have any idea how much valuable energy is used up to maintain that patch of grass?  ????

10 minutes ago, albertik said:

The murdering if innocent grass hardly seems something to save the planet - bunch of idiots

Not to mention the carbon they released from the soil by digging it

These nutters should be thrown in prison because I see them as no more than terrorists. The new religion of climate change and their radicals with their mobile phones synthetic man made clothes living in mummy and daddies house. Last ones I saw drinking wine taking selfies.... Idiots humanity with its less than 1% effect on climate and the majority of that coming from China so go to China and protest and see how you get on. 

18 minutes ago, RJRS1301 said:

Not to mention the carbon they released from the soil by digging it

Somehow I was attributed for a quote made by Richard Coleman. What I had said was "Do you have any idea how much energy was used up to maintain that patch of grass?'\"

5 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

  

 

". . . but were they in breach of a law?"

 

Does that question even need to be asked?

 

Yes. 

7 hours ago, webfact said:

Extinction Rebellion says it wants non-violent civil disobedience to force governments....

This statement suggests they intent pushing the envelope of the law.. to push the envelope, one should first know the law. Before breaking the law, one should know the consequence... this then is a commercial decision.... lol... just like roger stones decision to commit crimes worth 50 years.

 

what law was broken?

should it apply? 

Should it be reformed?

should there be a more specific law?

all good questions imo... given the damage caused, seemingly with impunity.

 

6 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

They are lucky they didn't hit any gas lines that are buried.

Luck? Good grief! Elsewhere we are talking about the lack of standards in the USA... deregulate... pull the teeth of the EPA... etc Etc

 

in England, gas pipe lines will not be found buried under a few inches of topsoil.

5 minutes ago, jany123 said:

in England, gas pipe lines will not be found buried under a few inches of topso

Especially at a prestigous seat of learning

Tell them to dig up the concrete & leave the lawn alone

1 hour ago, albertik said:

Do you have any idea how much valuable energy is used up to maintain that patch of grass?  ????

Far less than the production of their mobile phones or the transport they used to get there as they cirtainly never walked barefoot there. 

1 hour ago, Krataiboy said:

Must be reassuring for the likes of Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates and George Soros to know the millions they lavish on climate change activism is being well spent.

Just to entertain that thought.

 

these “activists” deliberately set out to use the causation of public mischief, to get the public to talk about them (and their cause). In this they have been 100% successful... look here... we’re talking about it. 

 

Given then, that the enterprise was 100% successful, any funders of the enterprise should be happy with the result, right?

Corporal punishment in public should be brought back as a suitable deterrent, along with a damn good look at student fees (& other benefits) of rent-a-mob participants.

 

Edited February 18, 20206 yr by evadgib

5 hours ago, RJRS1301 said:

6 hours ago, Tippaporn said:

  ". . . but were they in breach of a law?"

 

Does that question even need to be asked?

Yes, it is private property, not public property, so a complaint would need to laid, there is a convention police do not enter UK University campuses for private matters unless invited

 

Maybe I'm reading you wrong but it sure sounds like you're saying that if no law on the books has been violated and the university doesn't bother calling the bobbies then it's O.K. for them to tear up the lawn.