Extinction Rebellion campaigners gathered outside Australia’s London embassy this afternoon to demand Prime Minister Scott Morrison is fired for his handling of the bushfire crisis.
The catastrophic fires have killed at least 26 since they began in October, with an estimated 2000 homes destroyed in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
Morrison, who opted to go on holiday to Hawaii in the midst of the crisis in December, has been widely criticised for his lack of action in the catastrophe.
Hundreds of protesters arrived outside the Australian Embassy on the Strand in London this afternoon to urge the Australian government to ‘act now’ in response to the ‘ecological emergency’.
Extinction Rebellion protesters gather outside the Australian Embassy on the Strand in London
An activist holds a sign reading ‘No more extinctions’ as he protests against the Australian government’s response to catastrophic bushfires
The Extinction Rebellion ‘Red Rebels’ joined activists outside the Australian Embassy today
Dozens of activists dressed in kangaroo masks or held signs reading ‘How ’bout no, Scott?’ and ‘Denial is not a policy’ as they were supported by Extinction Rebellion’s Red Rebels.
Others held a banner reading ‘BURNING EARTH’ as they joined the protest, which was one of many to take place across the world today. Rallies were also held in Sheffield, Bristol and Lambeth, as well as in 30 countries worldwide from Argentina to Zambia.
The protest was held to draw attention to the ‘betrayal of the Australian government in failing to protect Australians from the bushfires’, according to Extinction Rebellion.
‘Right now Australians are receiving government alerts on their phones ‘you are in danger and need to act immediately to survive’. The warning could not be more prescient’, a statement read.
Dorothea Hackman, a 67-year-old grandmother supporting the protest, said the Australian government did not prepare for the wildfires despite warnings from climate change scientists.
Another group of demonstrators held a large banner reading ‘BURNING EARTH’ this afternoon
Rallies were also held in Sheffield, Bristol and Lambeth, as well as in 30 countries worldwide from Argentina to Zambia
A mother holds her child inside a onesie as she joins more than a hundred people at the protest
Another activist wore a painted kangaroo mask as demonstrators called for the Australian government to ‘act now’
Ms Hackman said: ‘I am just so very sad for people and wildlife in Australia.
‘The bushfires around Canberra in 2003 showed us what to expect and there have been warnings about the consequences for Australia of climate change, yet the government did not prepare.
‘We need to see the Australian government acknowledge the connection between climate change and these bushfires, and declare a climate and ecological emergency now and take action.’
The catastrophic fires have been blazing across Australia since October, when Robert Lindsey, 77, and Gwen Hyde, 68, were found dead in their burned out home in Coongbar near Casino.
Today, firefighters were photographed conducting property protection patrols at the Dunns Road fire in Mount Adrah, as New South Wales braced for severe fires across the state with high temperatures and strong winds forecast.
There are currently 37 fires burning across NSW – 66 of which are not contained.
The NSW Rural Fire Service said conditions were ‘difficult’ thanks to a gusty southerly change which would cause ‘erratic fire behaviour’.
The Red Rebels join climate change protesters outside the Australian Embassy in London, where Extinction Rebellion are staging a protest
As the protest continued on Friday afternoon, a man appeared to be arrested at the scene
A woman holds a sign reading ‘save the gumtrees, bees and big blue seas’ at the protest
Others brandished painted signs reading ‘How ’bout no, Scott?’ and ‘Inaction on climate change. That’s just not cricket’
The protest was held to draw attention to the ‘betrayal of the Australian government in failing to protect Australians from the bushfires’
In Sydney, Australia’s answer to Greta Thunberg Izzy Raj-Seppings joined 30,000 climate activists in a day of mass protest against the government’s apparent lack of action on climate change.
The march, which began at the city’s Town Hall this afternoon, was organised by student groups and Extinction Rebellion.
Izzy, 13, shot to fame after shocking footage captured her being spoken to by police while protesting outside Kirribilli House.
The young protester faced down police back in December and became a global sensation after attending the climate protest outside Morrison’s house.
Passionate about the bushfire crisis, and despite bursting into tears, she refused to back down after police outside the PM’s home warned ‘force may be used’ to arrest her.
Today, firefighters were photographed conducting property protection patrols at the Dunns Road fire in Mount Adrah
New South Wales braced for severe fires across the state with high temperatures and strong winds forecast
She had travelled to the protest outside the Sydney residence, which began when he took a surprise – and much criticised – holiday to Hawaii as the bushfire crisis raged.
Already a seasoned protester, she is a member of Extinction Rebellion Sydney.
Seven protests were held across the country in Sydney, Melbourne, Geelong, Newcastle, Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra.
It caused chaos on Sydney’s streets during Friday’s rush hour, completely shutting down several roads as around 30,000 people turned out.
In Melbourne, around 10,000 protesters battled a torrential downpour as they gathered in front of the Victorian State Library, forming a sea of umbrellas.
Izzy Raj-Seppings, 13, (pictured) holds up a placard as activists rally for climate action at Sydney Town Hall on Friday
Aerial footage taken in Sydney on Friday (pictured) shows the huge scale of the climate change protests, with demonstrators also criticising Scott Morrison
Protesters gathered in Sydney’s CBD (pictured) for the ‘Sack ScoMo’ climate change protest, holding an inventive array of provocative signs
Climate protester Izzy Raj-Steppings (centre) is seen during a ‘Sack ScoMo!’ climate change rally in Sydney
Similar crowds were seen in Brisbane and Canberra – where hundreds were heard chanting ‘sack ScoMo’.
Another popular chant was ‘the liar from the shire, the country is on fire’.
Organisers in Sydney were hoping to rival the crowds of 20,000 seen in December protests.
The East Ournie Creek and Dunns Road fires near the Victoria border were upgraded to watch and act level this morning.
But by lunchtime they had merged as temperatures hit 37C and 20kmh winds fanned the flames.
In images that went viral across the world, young Izzy faced down police (pictured) at a protest outside Mr Morrison’s residence in Sydney
Tens of thousands of Sydneysiders lined the streets on Friday (pictured) demanding Scott Morrison is sacked
Protesters in Sydney (pictured) demanded the government take action on climate change, which they believe is making the bushfires worse than ever
Protesters showed off creative and often witty homemade signs as they took to the streets in Sydney on Friday (pictured)
A woman wears a face mask to protect herself from dangerously polluted air as she protested in Sydney on Friday (pictured)
Together the blazes, including sections that have burnt out, cover half-a-million hectares – about five times the size of Canberra.
The Rural Fire Service forecast extreme danger for the fireground and warned of ‘erratic behaviour’ meaning the flames can move and change direction quickly.
The fire has already passed through the towns of Talbingo, Wondalga, Kunama and Batlow.
Later on Friday, an emergency warning was issued for the Green Valley Fire, with those in Lankeys Creek, River Road and between Jingellic and Welaregang told it was too late to leave.
A young protester is seen with a sign reading ‘climate change is real’ as he stood outside Sydney’s Town Hall (pictured)
Around 30,000 people descended on Sydney’s CBD (pictured) on Friday afternoon to join the climate change protest
A young woman holds a poster criticising Scott Morrison for going on a surprise holiday to Hawaii at the height of the bushfire crisis in December (pictured)
A young woman wears a face mask which reads ‘Australia is on fire’ as she joined thousands of protesters in Sydney on Friday (pictured)
Huge crowds were also seen in Melbourne, where protesters formed a sea of umbrellas as they continued despite the downpour (pictured)
‘Out of control bushfires are sweeping across the state – destroying thousands of hectares, houses, and lives,’ organisers said on Facebook.
‘These fires, heatwaves, and droughts are not just unprecedented – they’re the direct result of decades of climate destruction at the hands of fossil fuel loving politicians.
‘The climate crisis has compounded hundreds of years of land mismanagement since invasion and decades of profiteering on water which has left much of the country in drought.’
The country-wide protests came as two giant bushfires raging on the NSW-Victoria border merged into a terrifying mega blaze spanning half-a-million hectares.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) has been heavily criticised for his handling of the bushfire crisis, especially his decision to go on holiday to Hawaii in December
The protest (pictured) in Sydney was organised by student group, but attracted crowds of all ages on Friday
There was a heavy police presence at the Sydney protest (pictured) on Friday afternoon
Around 30,000 people are thought to have gathered at Sydney’s Town Hall to demand action on climate change during the bushfire crisis (pictured)
Large crowds were also seen in Canberra (pictured) which has suffered weeks of smokey air