Extinction Rebellion: Nick Ferrari Clashes With George Monbiot Over Protests

23 April 2019, 09:03 | Updated: 30 April 2019, 11:51

Nick Ferrari had a fascinating debate with environmental campaigner George Monbiot over whether the Extinction Rebellion protests are justified.

The award-winning columnist said the activists were justified in breaking the law to force action on climate change.

But Nick then put to him that he is essentially saying a starving family were justified in stealing from supermarket in order to feed themselves.

Mr Monbiot had said: "What protesters are doing here is breaking the law to try to prevent something much worse being broken - which is our live-support system, our living planet that is keeping everyone alive.

"It is the lesser of two evils."

Nick then asked: "That's like saying that, if I am starving and I can't put food on my family's table, it's OK to steal from Asda or Morrisons or Tesco, because my family starving is greater.

"So how would you have law and order in that world? You're saying you can break the law if you think it's valid."

Mr Monbiot responded: "You break the law and the police can arrest you. That's how it works.

"This is a moral choice that people are taking. I'm not saying we abandon the law.

"Extinction Rebellion protesters have been clear in saying that they are prepared to suffer the consequences of breaking the law, which is arrest and potentially prosecution.

"Our personal moral judgement, we think that the cost of that - which will be borne by us - is outweighed by the cost of not taking action, which means climate breakdown and environmental breakdown."

The full discussion is one of the most interesting and in-depth on the topic. Watch it in full at the top of the page.