Extinction Rebellion cause disruption to Aylesbury news retailers over the weekend

You may have been wondering why some Aylesbury retailers had no newspapers over the weekend.
Extinction Rebellion claim  the reason behind the move this was to 'free the truth'.Extinction Rebellion claim  the reason behind the move this was to 'free the truth'.
Extinction Rebellion claim the reason behind the move this was to 'free the truth'.

Extinction rebellion activists causes a blockade for newspapers under ownership of media mogul Rupert Murdoch across various parts of the country on Saturday morning.

They claim that the reason behind this was to 'free the truth'.

Flyers were left in the place of the newspapers which XR say explain their actions.

Local climate activist from Aylesbury, Gordon, said: "I wanted people to know the reason why the action was taken, and the logical way to do it was to put out the signs where the papers would normally be. Hopefully people may at least think twice about accepting what is being told in the print media as gospel, and be more willing to check things out."

Priti Patel said the action by Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists was “completely unacceptable”, while other government ministers branded the protesters an “intolerant minority”.

Prime minister Boris Johnson also reacted angrily, warning that activists should not seek to “limit the public’s access to news in this way”.

Print runs for newspapers including The Sun, the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Mail and the Times were disrupted after dozens of activists blockaded factory gates late on Friday night and in the early hours on Saturday.

Ms Patel said: “This morning [saturday], people across the country will be prevented from reading their newspaper because of the actions of Extinction Rebellion. This attack on our free press, society and democracy is completely unacceptable.”

The activists accuse the newspapers of failing to report on the climate crisis, spreading climate denialism and “dehumanising marginalised groups”.

In response to the claims made by Home Secretary Priti Patel, XR said: "While the Home Secretary, Priti Patel, has described this as an attack on a free press, activists ask whether we do indeed have a free press, when 5 billionaires control the news that 70% of the country reads.

"Indeed, just two billionaires (Murdoch and Lord Rothermere) own half of the ten UK newspapers in terms of circulation.

"If we truly have a democratic free press, activists ask, why is the climate and ecological emergency not given the prime attention it needs in face of the very clear and long-standing scientific evidence?"

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