Yesterday we reported on the Oxfordshire vicar that sewed his lips together to protest against Rupert Murdoch. But this isn't the first he's been out protesting.

So, who is the Abingdon vicar with ties to Extinction Rebellion? 

Reverend Tim Hewes, 71,  is a retired dentist and a part-time priest, who is a passionate climate change activist and member of Extinction Rebellion (XR).

Currently residing in Wantage, Rev Hewes is not strange to protests and demonstrations.

Back in March 2021, he glued himself to furniture at the City of London Magistrates Court. He was subsequently handed a two-week jail sentence.

On the day of his arrest he said: “Our planet is being choked with carbon dioxide emissions, covered in tarmac, plundered of its limited resources, the deep oceans filled with plastic, biodiversity squandered by a shameful disregard for the integrity and preciousness of all non-human creatures, with forests burned for soya crops to produce industrial beef and other forests inhabited by primates, felled for replanting for palm oil production, to make our food and toiletries smoother and 'nicer'.”

thisisoxfordshire: Screen grab from Channel 4 News. Vicar Tim Hewes after being arrested at the London protests

During his time in jail, Rev Hewes continued his protest by fasting to stand in solidarity with people across the world losing their lives from famine as a result of the climate emergency. The act was also a prayer for the planet that feeds, nourishes and sustains all life. 

The vicar was also arrested in 2019, along with a number of Oxfordshire activicts, for blocking severals roads in Westminster.

His recent act of sewing his lips together in protest is symbolic, he says.

In a statement by Christian Climate Action, the Christian arm of Extinction Rebellion, he said: "I have sewn up my lips to demonstrate the terrible havoc Rupert Murdoch’s actions have reaped upon the world and to make this visible.

“Climate science and truth has been muted, those who suffer are not being heard."

The increasing frustration over the lack of action from the government in the last 15 years to prevent climate change has led him to join XR over a year ago.

thisisoxfordshire:

“I went to XR not sure what I had to offer, just passion.

“There were people of all ages, some working, some retired, all sharing a passion but also sharing their grief for the planet and what we’ve done to it and also anger.”

According to Rev Hewes, protesting is the only way left to voice concern against the impending doom of the planet. He has warned of the consequences of ignorance in the past.

Talking in 2019, he said: "The voice of scientists in the UK and across the globe have been disregarded.

"Sir David Attenborough gets the same treatment.

"He is listened to, hands are wrung, promises are made and the build back greener shop window titivated, but inside – there is nothing on the shelves.

"My hope and my prayer is that parliament will come to a cross-party agreement on dealing with this issue."