A group of Christian climate activists interrupted a service at Westminster Abbey on Sunday by singing a climate-themed hymn in the centre aisle of the church.
The protest, organised by Christian Climate Action, took place shortly after the Gospel reading during a Pentecost service.
Twelve protesters sang “Don’t Crucify Creation”, a hymn written about climate change and environmental destruction, before being escorted out by security. The group continued singing as they left the abbey.
Organisers said the demonstration was intended to urge the Abbey and the Church of England to speak more strongly about climate change and the environmental crisis.
Dave Mitchell, a retired software engineer from Bristol, said: “Now more than ever the Church needs to act, to speak out against the damage and destruction of the Earth caused by human greed, the injustice and suffering inflicted through the climate and nature emergency.”
He added: “We are calling on the Church today to Stop Crucifying Creation - to switch to ethical banking, to rewild church lands, and to speak out clearly and prophetically against those who perpetrate the fossil fuelled destruction of God's world.”
Another protester, Caroline Harmon, criticised the Abbey’s environmental targets, saying: “It saddens me that a building, no matter how grand and how old, is considered of more importance than the lives of people created in God’s image.”
A spokesperson for Christian Climate Action said the Church had made progress towards reducing emissions but argued it should use its influence more publicly.
“The Church of England, including Westminster Abbey, is taking great strides to get their own house in order by aiming for Net Zero by 2030,” the spokesperson said. “However, the Church is not currently making the most of its influence and position to speak out to those who are causing the most harm.”
The protest was part of the group’s “Stop Crucifying Creation” campaign, which calls on churches to take stronger action on climate issues and fossil fuel investment.