Extinction Rebellion to attend Welsh Government climate change conference

Cardiff saw Extinction Rebellion protests in July

Climate change protesters from Extinction Rebellion have been invited to a Welsh Government climate change conference in Cardiff on Wednesday.

It comes as protests by the group were banned protesting in from London.

Welsh environment minister Lesley Griffiths said the group are "very committed people with some very good ideas" that need to be listened to.

She said protesters have the "right to peaceful protest" but "they shouldn't law-break".

"I would never encourage that," she added.

Protests under the Extinction Rebellion banner were held in Wales earlier in the year, including in Cardiff where activists blocked a major road for three days.

Demonstrations in London have continued despite the ban from the Metropolitan Police.

Protesters were removed from Trafalgar Square in central London

Speaking at a press conference, Ms Griffiths said the conference would be a "rallying call, urging everyone to be a part of the solution".

"We're going to bring everyone together in the conference, the public sector, businesses, some of our biggest emitters and our communities to further co-ordinate our response to the climate emergency," she said.

• Climate protesters end city road blockage

• Extinction Rebellion protests banned from London

Representatives from Extinction Rebellion have been invited "to share some of their ideas about how we should be responding to the climate emergency, especially around zero carbon", she said.

First Minister Mark Drakeford and Ms Griffiths have already met participants in the protests.

Asked if she condoned the methods used by the protesters, Ms Griffiths said: "The right to peaceful protest is very, very important.

"I think where Extinction Rebellion are, they're very committed people with some very good ideas. We need to listen to them.

"I think unfortunately the public are not where a lot of the members of Extinction Rebellion are, and that's why I want to work with them."

"We haven't seen the [scale of] protests in London here in Wales," she added.