'Culture of misinformation': artists protest against London thinktanks | Climate change | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/...2/ground-zero-of-lies-on-climate-artists-protest-at-london-thinktanks
A group of artists and writers including Zadie Smith and Sir Mark Rylance have spoken out against the thinktanks and lobbyists at the heart of Westminster, gathering with hundreds of protesters near their offices on Wednesday night.
Speakers from Writers Rebel, a group formed in support of the aims of Extinction Rebellion, blocked Tufton Street in London amid a noticeable police presence.
Offices on the street include that of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, which states on its website “while [it is] open-minded on the contested science of global warming, [it] is deeply concerned about the costs and other implications of many of the policies currently being advocated”.
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Speaking earlier, Smith, author of the novels White Teeth and On Beauty, said she had come to realise that her previous belief, that climate change denial was rooted in a genuine fear, was “naive”.
“Now we know better. Now we know the outsized, unruly emotions that surround the scientific fact of climate change are fuelled by something far more calculated and external than species shame. They are not organic, natural or unavoidable, but rather feelings manufactured, targeted, organised, and paid for, largely by oil companies and other vested economic interests who are prepared to sacrifice your long-term future for their short-term profit.
“There are people whose business it is to make science look like opinion. Who aim to transform genuine feelings of climate grief and guilt into defended ignorance and positive denial,” Smith said.
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The demonstration was organised in conjunction with the nascent Extinction Rebellion group Money Rebellion, which will target the finance industry for its inaction on the climate emergency.
The event took place as part of XR’s 10-day protest to demand government action on the climate crisis. The Metropolitan police said more than 230 people involved had so far been arrested.