Last night, climate activism group Extinction Rebellion staged a protest against Rupert Murdoch’s printing presses, blocking access to and from the Broxbourne, Knowsley and Motherwell sites where the media mogul’s newspapers are produced.
The number of activists across these sites is said to have exceeded 100; those present used vehicles and bamboo structures to reinforce their blockade. In turn, the distribution of national titles such as the Sun, the Times and the Daily Mail this weekend have been delayed. According to the Hertfordshire Police, delivery lorries had still not left the Broxbourne site at 6am this morning.
At 3pm today, 72 arrests had been made, according to the BBC. None have been made at the Motherwell site in Scotland.
The protest follows criticisms of “the pollution of national debate” on social issues in the Murdoch-owned media groups. Specifically, Extinction Rebellion refers to climate change and immigration policy, among other matters. Indeed, is a well established climate change denier who used his media outlets as a vehicle to support the Brexit campaign in 2016.
Whilst Extinction Rebellion’s latest demonstration has been condemned by politicians and media outlets alike, the effort serves as an important bid to reinforce change in an era of fake news and right-wing sympathy in the national media.
Header image via The Guardian