Extinction Rebellion Protesters Glue Themselves to Speaker's Chair in Empty Parliament
15:57 GMT 02.09.2022 (Updated: 15:20 GMT 28.05.2023)
© AFP 2023 / ADRIAN DENNIS / Extinction Rebellion activists hold banners outside of Britain's Houses of ParliamentExtinction Rebellion activists hold banners outside of Britain's Houses of Parliament
© AFP 2023 / ADRIAN DENNIS / Extinction Rebellion activists hold banners outside of Britain's Houses of Parliament
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Extinction Rebellion and allied groups have disrupted daily life with 'direct action' stunts over the past few years, including blocking busy roads and motorways and attempting to fly drones into the paths of airliners at Heathrow airport. Scores have been arrested and several convicted in court.
Green activists have glued themselves to the Speaker's chair in the empty House of Commons
Three female members of Extinction Rebellion (XR) glued their hands to the arms of Sir Lindsey Hoyle's seat with its traditional woolsack cushion, while two men held up banners reading: "let the people decide" and "citizens assembly now".
Another small group of XR militants protested outside the building on Parliament Square. One elderly man attached himself by the neck to the cast iron railings of Parliament with a bicycle D-lock.
The protesters reportedly joined a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament, currently on its summer recess, before slipping away to stage their protest in the Commons chamber.
Extinction Rebellion protesters have superglued themselves to the Speaker's chair in the House of Commons, demanding a citizens' assembly to discuss the climate crisis.
— Sky News (@SkyNews) September 2, 2022
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The group's spokeswoman Alanna Byrne said the elected Parliament should be replaced with assemblies "selected like a jury" and directed by "experts" to implement even more radical environmentalist policies than Prime Minister Boris Johnson's "net zero" agenda.
"Independent citizens' assemblies can show that those blocking progress in Westminster have no democratic mandate to continue destroying the environment and give power back to people," Byrne claimed.
"Selected like a jury and supported with independent, expert knowledge, this is true democracy that reflects the diversity of the population," she added.
XR and its offshoots have become infamous for 'direct action' stunts including blocking busy roads and motorways, endangering lives by climbing onto commuter trains and attempting to fly drones into the paths of airliners at Heathrow airport.