Thousands of protesters, led by environmental and nature organisations, have marched through the UK capital demanding action to protect Britain's coastal waters and rivers.

The protest, which took place in London on Sunday 3 November, called for an end to water pollution - citing failures in the regulatory system and criticising the privatised English water system.

Thousands marched with banners reading: “Stop poisoning Britain’s waterways” and “Cut the crap, save our rivers”.

Broadcaster and environmentalist Chris Packham, actor and river conservationist Jim Murray, and Giles Bristow, chief executive of the campaign group Surfers Against Sewage, led the march, in London.

The lead organiser was Charles Watson, founder and director of the charity River Action.

He said: “One of the key demands of this march is that this notion that it can be profitable to pollute has got to stop, that the laws have got to be enforced.

“And in order to enforce the laws, the bodies that are tasked to do that [have] got to be reformed, they’ve got to be taken to pieces and put back together again and most importantly they’ve got to be properly funded.”

A 2024 report by The Rivers Trust reveals a critical situation for England's rivers. No river in its entirety has achieved high or good ecological status. Only 15% of river sections meet at least a 'good' standard, while a concerning 23% are rated as poor or bad.

This alarming decline is primarily attributed to pollution from various sources.

River Action is asking the UK Government to:

• Reform regulation – conduct an immediate root-and-branch review of Ofwat and the Environment Agency to stop any industry from knowingly polluting waters for profit
• Enforce the law – River Action say the laws and regulations are already in place to end water pollution. The charity is calling on the new Government to uphold and enforce them
• Stopping ‘pollution for profit‘ – River Action is calling for ALL polluting industries to invest for the long term; which includes upgrading infrastructure, reducing water wastage and leaks, farmers restoring habitats, and increasing efficient water use everywhere.

The demonstrators included supporters from various groups, such as the National Federation of Women’s Institutes (WI) and GMB union - all of whom are pushing for government accountability and decisive action to address the water pollution crisis.

Melissa Green, the chief executive of the WI, told The Guardian newspaper, “Our members have been calling for action against water pollution unbelievably since 1927. That was the first time we raised the alarm with the government about the quality of the water in our communities, and then we raised it again in the 60s, again in the 80s, and again in 2023."