Extinction Rebellion picture at heart of twitter spat between MS and councillor

A picture of Conservative councillors meeting Extinction Rebellion (XR) has emerged, after a Conservative Senedd member called the group “extremist and neo-fascist”.

Plaid Cymru councillor Aaron Wynne, who represents Llanrwst’s Crwst ward on Conwy county council, revealed the image after Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders doubled down on her criticisms of the climate change group.

She said on Monday she would not meet the organisation after it stopped The Sun, The Times, The Sun On Sunday, The Daily Mail, Telegraph and The Sunday Times leaving printing presses in Hertfordshire and Merseyside at the weekend.

Seventy people were arrested and it came days after XR co-founder Roger Hallam suggested those culpable for accelerating climate change should perhaps have a “bullet through their head”.

She said the organisation was “committed to ending a free press, intimidating individuals, and threatening violence and death” before saying it should be “de-legitimised”.

It prompted a rival for her seat in next year’s Senedd elections, Plaid Cymru councillor Aaron Wynne, to criticise her on Twitter for calling the group “neo-fascist”.

Mrs Finch-Saunders then tweeted a picture of Cllr Wynne holding an Extinction Rebellion flag, saying “Every picture tells a story”.

Every picture tells a story….🤗 pic.twitter.com/LmaYh4eDks

— Janet E Finch-Saunders (@JFinchSaunders) September 8, 2020

However Cllr Wynne posted the full picture, taken at a meeting of the group on Conwy county council’s lawn on Bank Holiday Monday, August 31.

I met with Conwy XR last weekend.

Also in attendance were 3 Tory Councillors, including the leader of Conwy Council and a Tory party staffer.

Care to rethink your careless comments @JFinchSaunders? pic.twitter.com/4vYbrejhJn

— Aaron Wynne (@aarwynne) September 8, 2020

The image showed the authority’s leader Cllr Sam Rowlands, lead member for environment Cllr Greg Robbins and Cllr Harry Saville – all Conservatives.

Cllr Wynne asked if the MS wanted to rethink her “careless comments”.

He claimed he and the Tory county councillors had “constructive discussions” with the group.

Cllr Wynne said: “The Conservative leader of the council was there, as was a county councillor who works for the Conservative Party, so it’s a bit rich for Janet to say something as absurd as this.

“Unlike Janet I’m not afraid to duck a debate and given her own county councillors were willing to do the right thing it’s hypocritical of her to make these silly comments.

“Her comments were a disturbing attack on free speech from the establishment and she backed up a newspaper rightly boycotted across north Wales and Merseyside because of its disgusting history.

“Does she think Liverpool and Everton fans are in the wrong because they advocate a boycott of the Sun?

“I was disappointed by Janet’s response when this issue was raised on social media.

“We need to take climate change seriously, this is something we should all be trying to do something about.”

Out of touch with even your own ward Aaron judging by the endorsements I have received from there and across the constituency.

— Janet E Finch-Saunders (@JFinchSaunders) September 8, 2020

However Mrs Finch-Saunders renewed her attack on the group. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “Cllr Wynne has missed a very important point.

“The meeting in which he brandished the Extinction Rebellion flag took place before the movement attacked the free press, and Roger Hallam called for business people and governments to have a bullet in the head.

“I know Extinction Rebellion’s actions are a concern for residents across Aberconwy, including in his ward, so why is Cllr Wynne choosing to stand by an organisation committed to ending a free press, intimidating individuals, and threatening violence and death?

“Such actions and threats by the movement are contrary to liberal democracy, and I have issued a strong response supported by the leader of the Welsh Conservatives in the Senedd.

“Hatred and intimidation has no place in politics, so politicians at any level should not stand by Extinction Rebellion.

“Will Cllr Wynne relinquish his rebellion flag?”

Extinction Rebellion released a press release on Wednesday saying it was “committed to non-violence” but criticised some news outlets for not highlighting climate change issues.

It said founder member Mr Hallam no longer “speaks for the movement”.

The group called upon Mrs Finch-Saunders to retract the statement, adding: “We are saddened that a spokesperson for the Welsh Conservative Party, with whom we previously had a good working relationship, would prefer to silence critics and remove people’s right to peaceful protest, rather than address the Climate and Ecological Emergency.”

Council Leader Sam Rowlands tweeted at the time it was: “Good to meet with reps from @GCXRNW in Conwy today.

“Appreciated their acknowledgement of all @ConwyCBC has done so far to tackle climate change and looking forward to reviewing ideas for further work.”

Cllr Greg Robbins declined to comment and Cllr Harry Saville has also been contacted.

By Jez Hemming – Local Democracy Reporter