The Moment Archbishop Hears Priest Was Arrested In Extinction Rebellion Tube Protest
17 October 2019, 10:33 | Updated: 17 October 2019, 10:35
This is the Archbishop of Canterbury's reaction after he heard a priest was one of the Extinction Rebellion protesters arrested on the tube this morning.
There have been angry scenes after Extinction Rebellion protesters targeted the London Underground network. At Canning Town station, an activist was dragged from the roof of a Jubilee Line train by commuters.
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby told LBC he supports the group's aims to raise awareness of climate change, but doesn't always support their methods.
He said: "We have to start on all of these things with respect for the human being. And you can be disrespectful in the way you demonstrate and you can be disrespectful in the way that you treat those who are demonstrating.
"We believe in free speech. But you have to think 'Whose lives are we making not just more difficult but perhaps catastrophically more difficult."
However, as he was live on LBC, it became clear that one of the protesters arrested was Reverend Sue Parfitt.
His reaction: "This is just a really good illustration of the fact that there are a million different approaches in the Church of England.
"I respect her convictions. I wouldn't have sat on a tube train."
