Climate protestors held a vigil and rally outside the BBC in Media City, Salford, to pressure the broadcaster over its coverage of the climate and forthcoming COP28 gathering.
This vigil comes ahead of day one of the COP28 conference which is being held in the UAE. The rally consisted of singing, speeches, music and art, before a procession to Manchester Cathedral.
One of the organisers Cordelia Bahr, representing Women’s Climate Action stated: “Some of us here feel the media has a role to play. The BBC could do more and we want to get that message as well.”
Dr David McKelvey, a retired Salford GP who blocked a central London bridge during a climate change protest, gave a speech during the rally where he firstly loudly greeted the BBC building and criticised the “authoritarian response to climate activism” he demanded the BBC ‘tell the truth”.
The protest comes on the first day of COP28 which is being held between the 30th November and the 12 December. The BBC reported on Monday, that leaked briefing documents revealed plans by the United Arab Emirates to discuss fossil fuel deals with 15 nations. However this has been denied by the UAE.
Cordelia described the COP28 as a “disaster”. And the news about the reported fossil fuel deals as “not a surprise and makes the thing look a total sham.”
Manchester Friends of the Earth and Extinction Rebellion also in participated in the protest.
The protest is the second major protest to take place outside the BBC in the quays. In 2019 climate protesters glued themselves to the entrance of the BBC.
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