GB News presenters Andrew Pierece and Bev Turner clashed with Just Stop Oil activist Alex de Konig after he said 1,700 people died during heatwaves in the United Kingdom last year.
The eco-mob spokesman claimed the World Heath Organisation said the 40C heatwave led to over 1,000 deaths. But, when pressed about the claim, asked the presenting duo if he could “Google it” to check where the claim came from.
De Konig then issued a stark warning, claiming people would “boil in their own sweat”, leading to the deaths. He said: “When temperatures get hot enough, when it gets so hot that the sweat does not cool you down, you literally boil in your own sweat.”
Pierce appeared bemused by the claim and after de Konig said it “sounds like an exaggeration”, he retorted with: “It does actually. I’m afraid it does sound like an exaggeration.”
Pierce said he had “lost all respect” for Just Stop Oil after the campaigners interrupted Wimbledon this week. A protester on Court 18 threw puzzle pieces onto the surface, something the host branded a “waste of a jigsaw”.
Concerns have also been raised about the group potentially interrupting Silverstone this weekend. Stuart Pringle, managing director of Silverstone, said there is a “high likelihood of serious injury or death” should protesters target the event.
Meanwhile policing minister Chris Philp has backed sports fans should they wish to intervene in protests. He has asked events to put more stewards and injunctions in place to prevent disruption from protesters.
Mr Philp’s comments came after Just Stop Oil supporters twice halted the tennis at Wimbledon. The incidents at the All England Club followed a string of protests at high-profile sporting events including the Lord’s Ashes test – where one pitch invader was carried off the playing field by England player Jonny Bairstow.
Mr Philp backed fans getting involved if their events are targeted. Asked if he would “do a Bairstow”, he told Times Radio: “I think it’s reasonable for people to try and protect the event they’re watching. Obviously, nobody should do anything dangerous or hurt anyone.”
But he said they should not go as far as Bairstow by manhandling protesters. “I think there are marshals and there are stewards whose job it is to do that and of course the police are there as well,” he said.
The campaign targeting flagship events led to Home Secretary Suella Braverman calling sports chiefs in for a meeting to discuss the response. Mr Philp said: “We’d like to see obviously those sporting organisations like Wimbledon increase the number of marshals and stewards.
“They have to be more careful about checking people coming into sporting events and react really quickly when something happens.”
He said ministers “strongly encourage” the use of the courts to seek orders banning particular actions during sporting events. “At the meeting yesterday we had with sporting leaders, we encouraged the use of injunctions because that allows for a much more severe criminal penalty if the injunction gets breached,” he said.
