UK Priest Sews Mouth Shut Over Silencing of Climate Change by Murdoch-Owned Media - Photo

LONDON (Sputnik) - A former member of the British clergy, Tim Hewes, had his lips sewn shut to protest media tycoon Rupert Murdoch's News Corp censoring of climate change issues, Christian Climate Action, an arm of Extinction Rebellion environmental movement, said in a press release.

Before staging a sit-in outside the News Corp's office in London, the 71-year-old was filmed and photographed sewing his mouth shut. The priest then posted the video on his YouTube channel, accusing Murdoch of denying climate change and influencing governments against taking action on the environmental crisis. The media company came under fire last year over the lack of coverage of Australia’s wildfires.

"I’m sewing up my lips to demonstrate the terrible and violent havoc Murdoch’s actions have reaped upon the world and to symbolically make visible this truth. Today, there are countless people throughout the world who are voiceless and suffering because of the climate emergency. Climate science and truth has been muted and those who suffer are not being heard," Hewes said in the recorded statement.

The priest was also seen holding placards saying "Murdoch to the dock for ecocide" and "The Murdoch legacy? The 6th Mass Extinction on planet earth."

According to Christian Climate Action, News Corp refused to engage with Hewes and directed visitors to a side entrance. After two hours, the priest ended his protest and removed the stitches.

News Corp, founded in 2013, owns The Wall Street Journal, The Times, The Sun and The New York Post newspapers, as well as the Dow Jones news agency.