Protests outside global far-right ARC London conference

Activists gathered outside Kensington Olympia on 23 June, as delegates arrived for the first day of the far-right ‘Alliance for Responsible Citizenship’ (ARC) conference.

Over 10 other campaign groups, including Greenpeace, Take Back Power and Queers for Palestine, joined protest organiser Fossil Free London.

The conference has been described as:

Glastonbury for climate science deniers, Trump acolytes, manosphere enthusiasts and nihilists in general.

Protesters wore frog costumes and carried signs reading “Fossil Fuels Fund Fascism”, “Oily Fascists Out of London” and “Frogs Together Strong”.

The theme took inspiration from the protest movement that emerged in the US in late 2025, where people wearing inflatable animal costumes became a symbol of demonstrations against the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

The co-founders of ARC are psychologist Jordan Peterson and Conservative peer Philippa Stroud. Its money primarily comes from Paul Marshall, a hedge fund manager who co-owns the broadcaster GB News and the magazine the Spectator. His portfolio includes over £1.8bn in fossil fuel companies including Shell, Chevron and Equinor.

The ARC conference expects to bring together over 4,000 people from scores of countries. Controversial speakers from across the right include Reform UK’s head of policy James Orr, Nigel Farage, Vote Leave CEO Matthew Elliott, anti-trans feminist campaigners like Julie Bindel and US Christian anti-abortion campaigners. Over 40 MPs will also be in attendance, alongside corporations such as Palantir and BP.

ARC goes heavy on climate denial

Last year’s conference focused heavily on climate scepticism, with similar themes expected in 2026. US energy secretary Chris Wright (also attending this year) described the net-zero 2050 target as “a sinister goal”. Jordan Peterson also told the crowd:

No more carbon apocalypse mongering and terrorising.

The ARC conference came as the UK saw rare red weather warnings for extreme heat, made more likely due to the climate crisis.

Robin Wells, director of Fossil Free London, said:

Suited men are gathering in our city today. Their oily money is fuelling the extreme heat we’re   sweating through, and we’re left poorer than ever before whilst they profiteer from war and crisis.

As this climate-change-induced heat suffocates us, they’re funding climate denial, bankrolling attacks on minorities and setting up narratives of division – all to ensure we’re looking in every direction except at them.

This conference is like the first-class deck and captain of the Titanic plotting ways to distract us all – to leave us fighting while they escape on the only lifeboats.

But we refuse to drown. Even as the waters rise, so do we. We refuse to tolerate their hate, and we are building our alternative: strong, connected and resilient communities, a more equal society, and climate action to protect us all.

Featured image via Fossil Free London