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Climate protests in Britain target Amazon warehouses on Black Friday

Some people could also be seen wearing masks of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and setting up tents on the road as police officers began to move in.

DPA WORLD
Published November 26,2021
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A man holds a head mask depicting Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, as Extinction Rebellion activists block a street outside an Amazon fulfilment centre in Tilbury, Essex, Britain, November 26, 2021. (Henry Nicholls/Reuters)

Arrests have been made after climate protesters staged blockades at a number of Amazon warehouses across Britain during the busiest day of the retailer's year.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) said its Black Friday demonstration took place at sites in Doncaster, Darlington, Newcastle, Manchester, Peterborough, Derby, Coventry, Rugeley, Dartford, Bristol, Tilbury, Milton Keynes and Dunfermline.

Activists arrived in the early hours of Friday to set up bamboo structures and "lock-ons," and held banners urging Amazon to cut its emissions.

Some people could also be seen wearing masks of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and setting up tents on the road as police officers began to move in.

At least 13 people have been arrested in three of the locations, police forces have confirmed.

The group, which is also drawing attention to alleged exploitation of Amazon workers, said it planned to remain at the scene for at least 48 hours.

An XR spokesperson said: "The action is intended to draw attention to Amazon's exploitative and environmentally destructive business practices, disregard for workers' rights in the name of company profits, as well as the wastefulness of Black Friday."

"The blockade is part of an international action by XR targeting 15 Amazon fulfilment centres in the UK, US, Germany and the Netherlands, aimed at highlighting Amazon's 'crimes.'"

"This is happening in solidarity with activists and workers from the global Make Amazon Pay campaign, demanding better working conditions, clear environmental commitments and for Amazon to pay their fair share of tax."

"Amazon continues to lobby the US government to fight against climatelegislation while telling the public they are committed to green initiatives."

"They are committing the very definition of greenwash."