A PEMBROKESHIRE woman taking part in the mass protests to encourage radical action to prevent climate change has shared her experience of the campaign to improve the government’s record on emissions.

Sian Vaughan, 53, of Fishguard has been taking part in the ongoing Extinction Rebellion protests which have brought parts of central London to a standstill over the last week.

The former teacher said she decided to take part in the ongoing civil disobedience by Extinction Rebellion out of a sense of “absolute desperation”.

Western Telegraph:

“It is my first activist thing ever really,” she said. “As has been said many times before the future is looking really bleak.

“I have a grown up adult daughter and as an ex-teacher and ex-head teacher there have been a lot of kids passing through my life and the future is looking very bleak for them.”

Sian was the head teacher at two primary schools in Cornwall before she retired in 2017.

She was inspired to join Extinction Rebellion after listening to a talk by members of the group in January in Cardigan.

Western Telegraph:

The Extinction Rebellion protests which have flooded parts of central London over the last week began on Monday, March 15.

On Saturday, April 20, Sian was among the protestors who have been arrested by police, with news footage showing her being carried away by four officers.

“I was arrested at Oxford Circus. I have to say the police have my great sympathy – they are very overstretched,” said Sian.

Western Telegraph:

She shared her experience of being arrested with friends and followers on Facebook, with many of them offering messages of support in return.

Extinction Rebellion and the Metropolitan Police have said that more than 1,000 demonstrators have now been arrested throughout the action.

On Monday, April 22, there were reports that Extinction Rebellion planned to bring the protest to an end ahead of other political action, but demonstrations have continued today (Tuesday, April 23).

The group said the protests were the result of other methods of activism not having a desired effect.

Western Telegraph:

Before she was arrested, Sian spoke to the BBC, sharing her frustration with the lack of action taken by the government.

“If there were a better way, please somebody tell use, because we have tried the suggested ways,” she said.

“We have tried writing to MPs, we have tried just standing in the street with banners. It just hasn’t worked.”

Western Telegraph:

Extinction Rebellion has three main demands: for the government to “tell the truth” about climate change, to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2025 and to create a citizens assembly to oversee the change.

The protests continue.