Members of Extinction Rebellion North Herts were masked up and socially distanced on Saturday, taking part in a national XR campaign on post-COVID climate breakdown.

XRNH swarmed Letchworth town centre, beseeching the council and Heritage Foundation to take urgent action to improve air pollution in North Herts.

XR member Gilly Chegwyn said: “We know climate collapse is as much of an emergency as COVID-19 – we mustn’t lose sight of this. “This is an opportunity to ‘green’ the economy. We must prioritise people and planet over profit. COVID-19 has shown that government and individuals can make radical changes quickly. Government listened to the scientists on COVID-19 – they must now do the same for climate science. There is no vaccine for climate breakdown.

“One of the silver linings of the lockdown has been the safe streets and clean air. Let’s not go back to pollution and congestion!”