A roadblock event will take place in Bethnal Green this Saturday. Pic: GrindtXX

Climate change activists are planning to block an unamed Bethnal Green road tomorrow to draw attention to local air pollution.

Campaigners from the group Extinction Rebellion Tower Hamlets say the roadblock will take place on a road near Bethnal Green Station between 11.30AM and 2.30PM.

The event will be offering a range of activities, including speeches, live music, arts, crafts, gardening workshops and meditation sessions at the London Buddhist Centre. Dr Philipp Rode, Executive Director of the LSE Cities, will speak at the event.

Extinction Rebellion Tower Hamlets is a campaign run by “Rising Up!”, a network promoting “fundamental change of our political and economic system to one which maximises well-being and minimises harm”.

Arthur Perez, a representative of Extinction Rebellion Tower Hamlets, told ELL: “This is a problem that transcends who you are, where you live or how much you earn. It’s about our survival as a species.”

According to Tower Hamlets Council, a staggering 40 per cent of Tower Hamlets residents live in areas where the air quality is unacceptable. The council has also announced that 37 primary schools, as well as 11 secondary schools, are situated in these areas.

Tower Hamlets Council declared a  “climate emergency” on March 20 and is committed to become a zero-carbon borough by 2025.

Perez continued: “Our government isn’t acting in accordance to the urgency and haven’t implemented real solutions. So rather than waiting for something to move, I realised I had a duty to rebel in a non-violent way to bring about change.

“We’re expecting a peaceful protest where the community can come together, discuss the current climate and ecological emergency we are in and leave feeling empowered. Collectively, we can make a difference.”

For more information, get in touch with Extinction Rebellion via e-mail.