Here's why protestors took to the streets in Salisbury today

Friday, 27 August 2021 01:00

Today, Extinction Rebellion Salisbury and Extinction Rebellion Wimborne took to the streets of Salisbury to protest the actions of Rockhopper Exploration, a Salisbury-based oil and gas production company.

The group congregated at the Market Place with banners, drums, and leaflets.

The protest comes as Rockhopper Exploration sue the Italian Government for banning oil drilling off the Adriatic coast.

In July, The Guardian reported that Rockhopper's project was met with protests from tens of thousands of people, and within two years, the Italian Government imposed a ban on oil and gas projects within 12 nautical miles of the Italian coast.

According to Extinction Rebellion, reports suggest the firm could be asking for as much as $275m in damages which it will then use to exploit an enormous oilfield off the coast of the Falklands.

After their protest in the Market Place, the group then marched up Castle Street to deliver a letter to Rockhopper, asking them to stop the damaging action.

Joanna Berry, the local coordinator for Extinction Rebellion said: "This is a complex subject and I would urge people to find out as much as they can about it. There's a fantastic article in the Guardian.

"Please write to your MP and please get involved with your local group, get involved with the environment or the climate emergency, for example through Extinction Rebellion because we are working to raise public awareness of the dangers we face as the human race facing the climate and ecological emergency".

Rockhopper Exploration has declined to comment.

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