In order to assist change environmental policy, members of the climate activist organization Extinction Rebellion fastened themselves to the Speaker’s chair in the UK House of Commons on Friday.
A group of about fifty people engaged in peaceful action at the House of Commons just before noon today (1100 GMT), according to a statement from the organization.
“The Parliament action began with three persons chaining themselves to the Speaker’s Chair during a formal tour of the facility.”
The group took turns reciting a speech calling for a Citizens’ Assembly to “give regular people a say over the key challenges facing us.”
The group was wearing t-shirts that read, “Let The People Decide.”Politicians are scheduled to return to work on Monday after the current summer holiday in Parliament.
Another legislator ascended the scaffolding surrounding “Big Ben” in the Elizabeth Tower outside of parliament and held up a sign that said, “Let The People Decide – Citizens’ Assemblies Now.”
Two more people secured their chains to the handrails. Alanna Byrne of Extinction Rebellion said, “To create a new, fairer politics will take first thousands, then millions of us.
“It will require sustained culture-shifting civil disobedience until we become impossible to ignore.”
The group has engaged in a number of recent activities, such as blocking London roads and highways, for which some of the activists have been sentenced to prison.
According to its September plans, which “will operate as a launch event for a five-phase plan to get 100,000 people onto the streets in civil resistance next spring,” the action on Friday was referred to as “the opening act.”
