Video shows rabbi taken by police during Extinction Rebellion protest
Rabbi Jeffrey Newman, 77, was removed by police Monday after joining the climate protest in central London
Dramatic footage shows Rabbi Jeffrey Newman being taken away by police during an Extinction Rebellion protest in the capital today.
Before being removed, Rabbi Newman, 77, knelt down in the middle of the road outside Mansion House in the City of London where he was gathered with dozens of Jewish protesters campaigning for governmental action against climate change.
In the video, Rabbi Newman can be seen refusing to stand up and telling a policeman “I would like to say that you’re not speaking truth.”
Rabbi Newman revealed he was released on Monday evening after being held in custody for several hours.
The rabbi emeritus of Finchley Reform Synagogue, who wore tallits and a white kippa with the black Extinction Rebellion logo, also carried a lulav palm frond and etrog yellow citrus.
He said: “The highest principle is the saving of life, pikuach nefesh, there isn’t anything more that we’re doing here in Extinction Rebellion than being aware that millions, or hundreds of millions of people, already are at threat because of the changing climate.”
(Photo by Extinction Rebellion)
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