Tooting and Balham residents attend Clapham Junction protest on air pollution levels

By The Editor

13th May 2021 | Local News

Residents from Tooting, Balham and beyond took part in a protest this weekend on Clapham Junction to protest illegal air pollution levels.

The protesters wore hazmat suits and gas masks, sporting 'Toxic Air Zone' signs and white painted children buggies called 'Ghost Buggies'.

The buggies included messages such as 'Toxic Air, No Thank You', 'Help A Child Live' and 'You Exhaust Me'.

A green man swarm also took place as protesters held up banners to cars stopped at a red light proclaiming 'Think Before You Drive'.

The protest was part of Extinction Rebellion Wandsworth's 'Wake Up Wandsworth' campaign.

The campaign was launched in April with four demands for addressing the climate emergency posted on to the doors of Wandsworth Town Council.

Protesters declared themselves 'in an open rebellion' against the council.

One of XR Wandsworth's four demands is to reduce air pollution to 'within legal levels' by May 2022.

A spokesperson for XR Wandsworth said: "Ahead of the next election of Wandsworth Councilors in May 2022, XR Wandsworth will assess whether the Council has met our demands.

"We look forward to sharing the Council's successes - and we will not hesitate to share their failures - with the electorate, using local press, social media and any other means necessary to ensure we reach every household in the borough."

A billboard appeared in Falcon Road by Clapham Junction station overnight depicting a figure in a gas mask bearing the words: 'If you're reading this, you're breathing illegal levels of air pollution'. (Click through the above picture gallery to see).

London Air data showed that pollution in Wandsworth worsened last year despite a national lockdown.

A spokesperson for XR Wandsworth added: "Four out of ten of London's worst air pollution hotspots are in Wandsworth - two in Putney, one at Wandsworth Town Hall, and one on Lavender Hill near Clapham Junction.

"And air pollution in Wandsworth is actually getting worse despite some respite owing to the national lockdown."

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