Streets ever more choked with cars and trees being felled for no good reason - this is why north London climate campaigners took to a four-day national climate demonstration

Haringey Tree Protectors (HTP) and The Climate Reality Project joined more than 50,000 marching through central London on Monday as part of a mass demonstration termed 'The Big One, from Friday (April 21) to Monday.

They and performance group Red Rebels - visible in their red costumes and white makeup - joined more than 200 organisations, including Greenpeace and Friends of the Earth.

HTP campaigns to stop unnecessary tree fellings in Haringey. Its co-chair Giovanna Iozzi said: "It was amazing to see so many people at the march, hundreds of environmental groups from all over the UK, not just XR folk, of many different ages and backgrounds.

Ham & High: A young climate activist at The Big One demo organised by Extinction RebellionA young climate activist at The Big One demo organised by Extinction Rebellion (Image: Catherine Budgett-Meakin)

"It was emotional and we saw many trees on posters!"

Jo Syz, also from HTP, posted footage he took on Twitter. He said: "It was very frustrating that there was so little coverage by the mainstream media of the largest climate protest in recent history."

Ham & High: Haringey Tree Protectors were one of more than 200 organisations to attend The Big OneHaringey Tree Protectors were one of more than 200 organisations to attend The Big One (Image: Giovanna Iozzi)

Catherine Budgett-Meakin, a sustainability chief for the Highgate Society, went along with the Climate Reality Project.

Ham & High: Performance artists Red Rebels silently march at The Big One climate demo in WestminsterPerformance artists Red Rebels silently march at The Big One climate demo in Westminster (Image: PA)

She added:"We are in the middle of a climate emergency and action before the end of this decade - and we're already in 2023 - is so slow as to be almost invisible."

Ham & High: North London activists outside ParliamentNorth London activists outside Parliament (Image: Catherine Budgett-Meakin)

She said people are "so resistant to changing the way they consume".

"We have to change the fundamental way we spend our money," she added.

Ham & High: The four day Big One climate demonstration was to ask the government to do more to reduce carbon emissions and end all new fossil fuel licencesThe four day Big One climate demonstration was to ask the government to do more to reduce carbon emissions and end all new fossil fuel licences (Image: PA)

"Flights are rocketing up, we all know what north London is like with cars at the moment, it's a nightmare." 

Ham & High: An Extinction Rebellion supporter at The Big One demonstration in London in AprilAn Extinction Rebellion supporter at The Big One demonstration in London in April (Image: Catherine Budgett-Meakin)

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesperson said: “These protestors fail to recognise our world-leading efforts towards achieving net zero, including cutting our emissions by 48% whilst growing the economy by 65% between 1990 and 2021.

"The transition to low-carbon energy sources cannot happen overnight, as recognised by the Independent Climate Change Committee.”