Extinction rebellion zealots are camping out on Peckham Rye Park, a headquarters from which they will conduct their week of “civil disobedience” across the capital.
The encampment of approximately 80 tents and 120 people arrived on Friday and is made up of climate activists from the UK, Northern Ireland and Europe.
It is being used as “a place of rest” by the environmental enthusiasts who have been setting off every morning to protest across London.
Extinction Rebellion are demanding the government declares a “climate emergency”, pledges to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2025, and sets up a citizens’ assembly to “oversee the changes”.
Wolf, the 55-year-old campsite coordinator said: “We’ve got a lot of support from the locals. We’ve had shops offering food and the council have been around checking on our welfare.
“People have shouted ‘crusties get a job’ but it’s their kids that we’re doing it for.”
Wolf said he enforces a strict no drugs, no loud music policy and has established a cleaning rota.
Sparrow, a 28-year-old protestor who doesn’t live anywhere but instead “floats around” said he’d been brought down by “the impending doom of the end of the world.”
Jade Sinclair, a 31-year-old mother-of-three from East Dulwich had crossed the park to see the site. She said: “You don’t know what to expect from people like this. You associate homelessness with drugs so when you see all these tents in the background you assume the worst.”
“But now I’m here I’m not too bothered about it. There are no floats. It doesn’t look like a carnival.”
James Looney, a 55-year-old Peckham man said: “It’s good. Someone’s got to do something. I’d like to see them take over the whole park!”
Asked about the controversial roadblocks which have seen ambulances blocked off, activist and nurse practitioner Anna Bunton said their policy was to let “blue lights” through when possible. She added that pollution causes health problems, which helps justify when ambulances are inadvertently stopped.
Sarah Hudson, a 33-year-old doctor from Peckham, supported the camp but said: “You can’t block the ambulances from the road when they prevent people from going about their business. That can’t be justified by the cause.”
The activists say they will leave the park by Monday 18 April to make way for a traveller’s funeral procession.
Southwark Council said: “We have been clear with XR from the start that we do not support their use of Peckham Rye Park or the adjacent common as a camp.
“This remains an unauthorised event in a much loved and well used park. We have not provided any facilities or equipment – it is being managed by XR themselves.
“We have had to take a pragmatic approach to them not seeking our permission, while acknowledging that they have support from many residents across the borough in addressing the damaging effects of climate change.
“We have made every effort to try to limit the duration and impact on local people, working closely with the Metropolitan Police to monitor and respond to the situation as necessary.
“Other similar camps in other boroughs over the last few years have passed without incident, but we arranged for our community wardens to check in with those on site every day to make sure we can respond locally to any issues.
“XR has promised to leave the park as they found it, with no negative impact to the park or common.”