ACTIVISTS from the campaign group This is Rigged have claimed responsibility for causing significant disruption to the men's road race at the UCI Cycling World Championships.
At around 11:21am, four people from the group glued themselves to the road and brought the race to an abrupt stop.
A spokesperson for the group stated that the disruption itself “isn’t about cycling” and that they only want to see that “peoples’ basic necessities be met”.
They said they have been “forced to act” as the Scottish Government continues to ignore their demands to end stop all new fossil fuel projects in Scotland.
One of the activists, which the group name as 21-year-old Cat, said:
"The fact that INEOS has been allowed to sponsor a team in the race around the Campsie Fells - which were engulfed in wildfires last month - is a disgrace and an insult to the both cycling community and the people of Scotland.
"We cannot continue with business as usual while our country burns and our futures are ruined. Time is of the essence and we need to act like it.
"@scotgov must stand up to Westminster and oppose all new oil and gas, and implement a fair transition now”.
Another protester named as Rebecca, 28, said:
"As a trans woman I’ve been told I’m not welcome on the cycling track by UCI, at the same time they allow a petrochemical company to field a team showing they have no real care for people.
"I take to the track to point out this hypocrisy and stand for a better future."
It comes after Rishi Sunak said that he intended to "max out" oil and gas reserves in the North Sea by announcing plans to authorise more than 100 new licences to drill.
Police Scotland said they arrested five protesters at the scene.
