Environmental activist from Wigan locks himself to building in protest

A former teacher from Wigan is among a group of climate change activists who have locked and glued themselves to the Greater Manchester Pension Fund headquarters.
The protestersThe protesters
The protesters

Four protesters from Extinction Rebellion were locked to the entrance of the building in Droylsden on Friday afternoon.

Other news: Wigan Council declares climate emergencyThey were demanding managers withdraw billions of pounds from fossil fuels, claiming the investments were "immoral and untenable".

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The organisation claims the pensions of more than 370,000 people in Greater Manchester - more than £1bn - are invested in fossil fuel companies.

Neil Hancox, a former school teacher and Extinction Rebellion Manchester member from Wigan, said: ‘’GMPF say they’ll end their investments by 2050. This is clearly far too late given we are in a climate emergency, but it is also clearly now immoral given the overwhelming scientific evidence of damage being caused by emissions from fossil fuels."

The action is part of Extinction Rebellion’s "summer uprising", which has been taking place across five cities in the UK this week in conjunction with other campaign groups in Greater Manchester, including Fossil Free GM.