Despite facing abuse from drivers and passers-by, Hugh Thomas won’t rule out a repeat of his actions
A BARRY man has spoken for the first time about why he blocked the High Street for 15 minutes as part of an Extinction Rebellion protest.
Hugh Thomas, 65, of West End, Barry, faced a torrent of abuse from disgruntled drivers as well as passers-by and was twice dragged off the road.
“One of the men picked me up and one of them tried to hold me down,” said Mr Thomas.
“There was a very verbally and physically aggressive lady. She kicked my sign down the road and put it in the bin.”
Mr Thomas, a retired landscape gardener who has lived all his life in Barry, sat in the middle of the road with a sandwich board and egg timer blocking traffic.
The protest was part of a coordinated Extinction Rebellion action across the country known as ‘Rebellion of One’.
“It’s something I felt I had to do. My six-year-old grandson’s future is very much uncertain. It’s the protective side of me. I just love my little grandson,” said Mr Thomas.
“I thought I’ve been banging on about this for years. I’ve now got to take action.”
A passer-by who pushed Mr Thomas off the road said to him: “Go and sit on the f*****g beach or in a rainforest I don’t give a s**t but not on the f*****g High Street.”
Another person asked: “Why don’t you go and do something useful with your life?”
After being dragged off the road for the second time Mr Thomas decided to leave.
“I thought someone’s going to get hurt here. This guy’s going to punch someone, but It didn’t really bother me,” he said.
Mr Thomas who has carried out a previous protest in Barry and over 10 in London has been arrested “half-a-dozen times”.
Leader of Vale Conservative Councillors, Councillor George Carroll said: “We all agree that urgent action is required to combat climate change.
“But the mindless behaviour of Extinction Rebellion activists last week is not the way to go about it.
“Blocking roads is not just a nuisance, but it also puts lives in danger if ambulances, police or fire services are unable to get through in an emergency.
“The disruption experienced last week will only alienate people and damage an important cause. It is for this reason that tough action is required, to send a message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”
Mr Thomas faced both support and criticism on social media after the incident, which was live streamed on the Extinction Rebellion Cardiff Facebook page.
“So impressed by the sitter’s dignity in the face of such mindless aggression,” said one livestream comment.
Another said: “Sorry but blocking members of the public from doing their jobs and going about their life is not acceptable.”
Officers from South Wales Police attended the scene but arrived after Mr Thomas had left.
Extinction Rebellion Cardiff said: “There are so many examples just in South Wales where we see the Welsh Government and local councils making decisions that go against the clear science.
“They continue to make decisions which destroy nature and prioritise profit over our future.
“The next two years are our last chance to remake the world, and COP26 missed it. Their failure is a Crime Against Humanity.”
Mr Thomas added: “The steps Vale of Glamorgan Council are taking are in the right direction but they are little steps. We’ll see where they’ll go, but it’s too slow.”
Mr Thomas would not rule out further Extinction Rebellion action in Barry: “Who knows? We’ll see,” he said.
