COP26: Thousands of protesters in Glasgow for Global Day of Action

What’s happening? Today marks Global Day of Action, with protests taking place across the country. The COP26 Coalition told Glasgow City Council it expects 50,000 participants on a march from Kelvingrove Park to Glasgow Green, starting around noon. They will demand “just and fair solutions to the climate crisis”.

Global Day of Action timeline for Glasgow

People gathered in the West End park from 10am, leaving many singing and chanting in the pouring rain for hours. The Glasgow march is expected to arrive in Glasgow Green around 3pm.

Trains into Glasgow were packed with activists despite the weather, with a strong police presence throughout the city ahead of the city’s second major day of action.

Climate scientist activists from the protest group Scientist Rebellion have chained themselves together across King George V Bridge, one of the key routes through the city centre, saying they will remain there until they are arrested.

Why it matters: Between 50,000 and 100,000 people are expected to gather in Glasgow today as part of a global day of action for climate justice. There are significant road closures throughout the city, and trains are expected to be busier before and after the march.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon urged people to attend and exercise their right to peaceful protest. Millions more are due to take part in at least 20 other countries across the world as part of a mass mobilisation organised by the COP26 Coalition, a UK-based civil society partnership campaigning for climate justice.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to rally in Glasgow and in London today, with more than 20 other protests planned across the world on the same day.

Indigenous communities, environmental charities, racial justice groups, youth strikers, landworkers, peasants, feminist movements, trade unions and faith from across the world have representatives taking part.

Demands include ending extraction and use of fossil fuels, rejecting “false solutions” such as future technology designed to extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, climate justice and financial support for developing countries to cut emissions. Numerous side demonstrations are also being staged.

This protest follows yesterdays Fridays for Future youth march, which started in Kelvingrove park at 11am and ended in George Square where speeches, including one from Greta Thunberg, took place.