NEWS | Hundreds of Extinction Rebellion protesters will once again take to the streets of Hereford on Monday

Your Herefordshire can reveal that Extinction Rebellion will be holding a large protest in Hereford on Monday.

On Monday 25th, at 9am, Extinction Rebellion (XR) and other groups will gather at Avara in Hereford. They will then march through the city calling for urgent action to save the River Wye and Brazilian Rainforests, both of which they say are linked through soya imports. The march will go down Edgar Street via Tesco and High Town, arriving at Cathedral Green by 1pm. 

Extinction Rebellion are drawing attention to pollution that they say is from the intense poultry farming which is damaging the River Wye.

The march will be accompanied by a samba band, with flags, banners and songs.

The protestors say that they will be highlighting the link between environmental destruction here at home in the Wye Valley and in the rainforests of Brazil.

Locals warn that destruction of the Wye will destroy tourism, which is vital to the local economy. Manager and curator of Timothy Hawkins Gallery, Audrey Simpson, aged 65 from Hereford said “If the Wye is destroyed I’m not going to get enough footfall for our tiny Art & Craft gallery to survive. If the river dies so will most of the tourism. Many small, independent businesses won’t survive.”

Wye and Usk Foundation chief executive Simon Evans says the Wye will be “in an irreversibly worse condition within two years unless swift action is taken.”

The biggest pollutant in the river is phosphate, and a major study from the University of Lancaster has found that 80% of this phosphate comes from livestock feed and manure. Scientists from the University of Lancaster warn that pollution from poultry farming is putting “enormous pressure” on the river, and that ongoing planning applications for new intensive poultry units are ignoring this.