V&A to display collection of Extinction Rebellion artefacts

London art and design museum praises environmental group's distinctive visual identity

A year ago, the climate activist movement Extinction Rebellion did not even exist. Now, just nine months after its first public action, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London has acquired a number of artefacts associated with the group, saying the visual impact of its campaigns can be compared to that of the suffragettes.

A green, blue and pink flag printed with the movement's distinctive extinction symbol, two printing blocks used by activists early in the campaign to make their own protest banners and an already rare pamphlet from the first print run produced by the group will join the V&A's permanent collections as part of its "rapid response" programme to put contemporary and newsworthy objects on display.