Art Not Oil protest BP's sponsorship of the Tate Britain. Image: Art Not Oil.
Art Not Oil protest BP’s sponsorship of the Tate Britain. Image: Art Not Oil.

Thousands of people took to the streets of London today to call for action on climate injustice, and an end to dirty energy.

The march, called “Time To Act“, took place as part of a global day of protest. Organised by the Campaign Against Climate Change, 23 organised blocs took part representing concerns such as fracking, war, food justice, and TTIP, and groups including LGBTQI, teachers and older people.

Part of the way along the march route thousands of people sat down in the road, blocking the Strand.

At the march’s end, speakers included Women’s rights campaigner Rumana Hashem, Fire Brigades Union leader Matt Wrack, and MPs Carolin Lucas MP and John McDonnell spoke to the crowds. Russel Brand and Naomi Klein gave their support by video.

Klein said “Here we are, with just nine months ahead of those critical climate talks in Paris. It’s not nine months to pressure our leaders to act. We have nine months to act ourselves. Nine months to become the leaders we need. To lead from below, from the streets, from the neighbourhoods, from the smallest towns to the biggest cities.”

Following the rally the Art Not Oil bloc, which has been taking action on oil patronage of the arts, went to Tate Britain after to demand they drop BP sponsorship (see photo, top).  120 people dressed as vikings blocked the entrance to the museum.

The day’s actions were also supported from Liverpool where Green Party of England & Wales members sent a message of solidarity from the conference floor.

2015 is set to be a busy year for radical action on the climate, with new fossil-free divestment campaigns taking root, anti-fracking groups organising around the UK General Election, and anti-dirty energy action planned in the run up to the UN Climate Conference in Paris, December.