Good Morning Britain hosts Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid welcomed Donald Bell onto the ITV breakfast show on Thursday to discuss the Extinction Rebellion protest at the Cenotaph on November 11.
Army veteran Donald and Buddhist NHS nurses Anne White were blasted by furious veterans, MPs and the families of fallen soldiers for the climate change stunt that went unchallenged by police on Wednesday.
The demonstrators, who were joined by two others, trampled over wreaths and unveiled a banner reading Honour Their Sacrifice, Climate Change Means War on the 100th anniversary of the memorial in central London.
Donald, 64, left GMB presenters and viewers at home furious with his remark that the Remembrance service was ” a little ritual” as he defended his actions
Hundreds of fans rushed to their keyboards to discuss Donald’s controversial remark made on the show.
Extinction Rebellion activist Donald Bell appeared on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday and his controversial comments left hosts Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid furious (Image: ITV)
Taking to Twitter, one fan penned: “Donald Bell on GMB referring to Remembrance Day as ‘a little ritual’. A brave man.”
Another added: “For that guy to call Remembrance Sunday a little ritual makes my blood boil. My relative didn’t get shot in the back to defend a little ritual. He did it to defend my freedom.
A third person said: “Little ritual? Absolutely disgusting!”
While a fourth ranted: “Did he seriously just describe the Remembrance Day service as a little ritual??? What a vile man.”
Donald explained: “The thing is, I’m trying to stop a war.
Ben and Susanna were not impressed with Donald describing Wednesday’s Remembrance Service as “a little ritual” (Image: ITV)
“When we have a government that has already agreed, I mean there was a report in June this year on how the government has failed on all but two of the 31 milestones it set itself for red emissions and its failing terribly.”
Susanna, 49, responded: “Of course, there is an important point to be made about climate change. It’s a crisis, of course.
“But Remembrance Day is about remembering those who’ve served and lost their lives in our wars.
“It is not about climate change, it’s about a very sacred day of Remembrance.”
XR demonstrators trampled over wreaths and unveiled a banner reading Honour Their Sacrifice, Climate Change Means War on the 100th anniversary of the memorial in central London (Image: ITV)
“It is about our futures” Donald said. “Those soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice for our futures so we could live in peace.
“When we have a government that is ignoring this climate emergency that we are in, their inaction is a crime when they turn up there every year for their little ritual.”
“That is a sign of disrespect as far as I’m concerned.”
A shocked Susanna asked: “What are you referring to as a little ritual?”
Donald hit back: “Let me finish.”
Hundreds of fans rushed to their keyboards to discuss Donald’s controversial remark made on the show (Image: ITV)
“Sorry but you just used a phrase that I think will ruffle a few feathers,” the presenter said.
Ben, 45, jumped in: “What was the little ritual you were referring to?
“The Remembrance Service? You describe that as a little ritual?”
“As far as the political side of this country is concerned, it’s just something they go through every year and I don’t feel like they really respect the loss of life, that massive loss of life,” Donald explained.
Former Afghanistan Marine Ben McBean, who was also part on the conversation via a video link, told Mr Bell “You’re not saving the world by tiptoeing over poppies” at the Cenotaph.
“Here’s the thing, everyone understands climate change,” Ben remarked.
“We’ve all got to do more but the reality is it takes brains, science, technology and costs a lot of money.
“Right now, we don’t have the resources to do that. We can’t just say stop jumping on jumbo jets, driving cars and combusting engines.
“We know we need to be better but right now, we don’t have the technology to be better, ask any scientist.
“We can’t just change the world right now and save the planet.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays on ITV at 6am
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
