Extinction Rebellion pledges to help guard London Marathon from protests

Extinction Rebellion has agreed to help guard the London Marathon from protesters on Sunday in a unique deal to protect one of the “crown jewels” of British sport.

The extraordinary arrangement was revealed by event director Hugh Brasher on Wednesday following a meeting with the environmental group, which is expected to attract thousands of people to The Big One festival in Parliament Square this weekend.

“I have just come from a meeting with Extinction Rebellion,” Brasher said. “They will be uniquely asking all their participants to help guard the London Marathon. To do something that is quite unique in their history – to protect what is one of the crown jewels of British sport.

“It is one of the crown jewels because the everyday person is competing and running those 26.2 miles at the time as Eilish Mccolgan, Sir Mo Farah, and when the greatest women’s endurance race in the history of our sport is taking place.

“The London Marathon is unique,” he added. “We run for clean air. That is so important in what we do. The environment is part of our DNA. And Extinction Rebellion has been very, very clear that they are in a new phase of wanting to engage the general public in a different way.”

However, Brasher admitted that organisers would still be stepping up official security amid fears that other groups may cause similar disruption to that seen at the Grand National and the World Snooker Championship.

Brasher is also hoping to speak to Just Stop Oil in the next 24 hours to persuade them to not to stop a race that raised £58.4m for charity last year. Not only did Just Stop Oil try to intervene in last year’s race but on Monday one of its activist sprinkled orange powder over a snooker table at the Crucible.

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