• The Sun, The Times and other News UK outlets are suppressing facts about the climate crisis and peddling climate delayism
• The five courageous people who took action to bring this to the public’s attention go on trial today
• We need an urgent media revolution so people are told the truth about the climate emergency leading to more ambitious action

Action images | Action footage | 2025 defendants’ portraits | Support XR’s legal fund

Five people go on trial today (Monday 12 May) at Southwark Crown Court for alleged conspiracy to commit criminal damage at the headquarters of News UK (formerly News International) in July 2022. Two of them carefully broke windows while the other three flyposted newspaper articles.

As the trial is due to start, the alleged window breakers call out media leaders for their role in the climate emergency that poses an existential threat to not just the global economy [5a] but to all life on Earth [5b]:

Tristan Strange, 42 year old musical instrument designer from Swindon said: “Rupert Murdoch’s media empire is not informing the public; it’s actively misleading them, deliberately turning the climate crisis – a fundamental question of physics and our shared future – into a divisive issue of values and identity. By downplaying the science and lobbying for fossil fuels, Murdoch’s papers are a destructive force that hinders the urgent action needed to prevent billions facing unimaginable suffering. This action was a wake-up call – we are highlighting the far greater damage done by the lies printed inside these buildings that are stalling climate action and jeopardising all life on Earth.”

Caspar Hughes, 53 year old eco-auditor from Exeter said: “Global media leaders stand at the crossroads of humanity’s survival: steer society toward a carbon-negative future or drive us off the cliff of climate collapse. The media have blood on their hands.The UK is awash with misinformation and omission when it comes to the basic facts about climate change. Titles like The Sun, The Times, The Daily Mail, The Daily Telegraph and GB News are not only keeping their readers dangerously in the dark, but are also running a hostile misinformation campaign designed to slow action on climate change which will kill billions of people. The government needs to step in and reform the press so that everyone gets to hear the truth about the crisis and why we need to take urgent action.”

The Extinction Rebellion supporters took action at News UK to highlight the role of The Sun and The Times newspapers in suppressing facts about the climate crisis, peddling an anti-climate action agenda and slowing the urgent action needed on the climate and nature crisis. [1]

The actions were strategically planned to take place on the hottest day ever in the UK, in the middle of an unprecedented heatwave, with temperatures breaking the 40C barrier for the first time [2].

The Sun chose to report on the heatwave by covering its front pages with images of women in bikinis, beachgoers and happy toddlers with ice creams, [3] instead of warning readers of the increased risks from such heatwaves as the climate crisis intensifies, such as food and water shortages and nature decimation, or to tell readers such heatwaves are strongly linked to man-made climate change [4] and the continued use of fossil fuels. [5]

The Sun has played a leading role in the fossil fuel industry backed campaign to delay action on climate change known as “climate delayism”. The newspaper is by far the biggest critic of energy secretary Ed Miliband – who has the responsibility for decarbonising the UK’s electricity supply by 2030 – running a relentless attack campaign including 29 editorials in 2024, calling him, amongst other things, a “madman” prone to “demented fantasies”. [6] 

New research from Carbon Brief this month shows that the right-wing press has stepped up its attacks on the green transition in 2025 with The Sun running 26 anti-Miliband editorials in the first 18 weeks of the year so far. [6a]

The global Murdoch empire – including Fox News, Wall Street Journal and The Australian – has been identified by scientists and researchers as the leading media source of climate doubt, denial and delay, [6b] while Murdoch’s Sky News Australia has served as “a content hub for influencers, sceptics and outlets across the globe”. [6c]

In January this year News UK admitted to running a criminal enterprise involving “phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators” as part of an apology and substantial damages settlement with Prince Harry for intruding on the life of his late mother, Princess Diana. [7] This admission followed years in which the company attempted a cover-up which included shredding documents, a corrupt relationship with the Metropolitan Police and buying victims’ silence with large out-of-court settlements. [8]

Last month, research for Impress – the UK’s only independent press regulator recognised under Royal Charter – found that just 18.4% of the UK’s reading population are regularly accessing climate information that is independently regulated. [6d]

The action at News UK was part of a series of window-breaking actions by Extinction Rebellion supporters in 2021 and 2022 which also targeted HSBC, Barclays, JP Morgan and the Department for Transport for their roles in the climate crisis.

The other members of the News UK Five are: Alison Fleming, 54 year old teacher from London; Alex Penson, 42 year old biologist from London; and Jess Agar, 24 year old art gallery assistant from Cambridge.

Notes for editors

[1] BREAKING: Extinction Rebellion breaks glass at News UK, as nation hits its highest temperature on record: https://extinctionrebellion.uk/2022/07/19/breaking-40-degrees-death-extinction-rebellion-break-glass-at-news-uk-as-nation-hits-its-highest-temperature-on-record/

Extinction Rebellion protesters smash windows at News UK’s London headquarters (Press Gazette): https://pressgazette.co.uk/news/extinction-rebellion-news-uk/

[2] Record high temperatures verified (Met Office, 28 July 2022): https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/news-and-media/media-centre/weather-and-climate-news/2022/record-high-temperatures-verified

[3] HOT HOT HOT Brits bask in hottest day since records began as Met says we’ve hit 40.3C with 1000s packing beaches to enjoy heatwave (The Sun, 19 July 2022): https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/19244046/uk-heatwave-schools-closed-train-delays-2

[4] High temperatures exacerbated by climate change made 2022 Northern Hemisphere droughts more likely (World Weather Attribution): https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/high-temperatures-exacerbated-by-climate-change-made-2022-northern-hemisphere-droughts-more-likely

[5] Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis (IPCC): https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/resources/climate-change-in-data/

[5a] Climate crisis on track to destroy capitalism, warns top insurer: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/03/climate-crisis-on-track-to-destroy-capitalism-warns-allianz-insurer

Climate, Risk, Insurance: The Future of Capitalism: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/climate-risk-insurance-future-capitalism-günther-thallinger-smw5f

[5b] The 2024 state of the climate report: Perilous times on planet Earth: https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/74/12/812/7808595

[6] Analysis: UK newspaper editorials attacked Ed Miliband relentlessly throughout 2024: https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-uk-newspaper-editorials-attacked-ed-miliband-relentlessly-throughout-2024/

[6a] Attacks on Ed Miliband in UK newspaper editorials have already exceeded 2024 levels: https://www.carbonbrief.org/in-focus/media-analysis/

[6b] ‘Climate villain’: scientists say Rupert Murdoch wielded his media empire to sow confusion and doubt: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2023/sep/23/rupert-murdoch-climate-change-denial

[6c] Deny, Deceive, Delay: Documenting and Responding to Climate Disinformation at COP26 and Beyond: https://www.isdglobal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Executive-Summary-Deny-Deceive-Delay.pdf

[6c] New Impress Report Into Climate Change News Highlights Need To Boost Independent Regulation (April 2025) https://www.impressorg.com/new-impress-report-into-climate-change-news-highlights-need-to-boost-independent-regulation/

[7] Murdoch’s UK tabloids apologise to Prince Harry and admit intruding on the late Princess Diana (AP, 22 January 2025): https://apnews.com/article/prince-harry-hacking-lawsuit-rupert-murdoch-british-tabloid-88c61a08225269014224283c37225bf8

[8] Dial M For Murdoch: News Corporation And The Corruption Of Britain by Tom Watson & Martin Hickman (Allen Lane, 2012)

About Extinction Rebellion

Extinction Rebellion (XR) is a decentralised, international and politically non-partisan movement using nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience to persuade governments to act justly on the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

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Time has almost entirely run out to address the climate and ecological crisis which is upon us, including the sixth mass species extinction, global pollution, and increasingly rapid climate change. If urgent and radical action isn’t taken, we’re heading towards 4˚C warming, leading to societal collapse and mass loss of life. The younger generation, racially marginalised communities and the Global South are on the frontline. No one will escape the devastating impacts.