THE climate change activists who superglued themselves around the Speaker’s chair in the House of Commons will be subject to a police investigation.
The campaign group Extinction Rebellion posted a photo on Twitter showing three members hand-in-hand in front of the seat while two other members held up signs.
One read “Let the people decide” and the other noted “Citizens’ assembly now”.
The protesters had booked themselves on a tour of the Palace of Westminster before taking the action, the group said.
It wrote on Twitter: “Extinction Rebellion supporters have superglued around the Speaker’s chair inside the Commons chamber.
“Right now inside Parliament a speech is being read out demanding a Citizens’ assembly now: ‘We are in crisis. We can not afford to carry on like this’.”
BREAKING NEWS: Extinction Rebellion supporters have superglued around the Speakers Chair inside the commons chamber. Right now inside Parliament a speech is being read out demanding a Citizens' Assembly Now: “We are in crisis. We can not afford to carry on like this..." pic.twitter.com/JqKBasRaCH
— Extinction Rebellion UK 🌍 (@XRebellionUK) September 2, 2022
Two protesters could also be seen with locks around their necks and connected to the front gates of the Houses of Parliament.
Protester Joe Short, from Bristol, said: “I have locked myself to the railings outside the Houses of Parliament.
“It is part of a bigger protest which is about climate inaction but it is also about a citizens’ assembly which is an alternative form of democracy which could be much more effective at dealing with problems like climate change.”
The group also wrote on Twitter that it had dropped protest banners across Westminster.
Extinction Rebellion said around 50 people were involved in the “non-violent” action at the Palace of Westminster.
Demonstrator Lisa from Newbury joined fellow protesters outside the gates of Parliament.
She told PA: “We are here today because we are addressing the seat of power here in Parliament, because it is not working. It is broken.
“We have got a horrendous climate crisis, a huge, obscene, terrible cost-of-living crisis and it is not working.
“We need to let the people decide on the next actions and we do that through a citizens’ assembly.”
BREAKING: Extinction Rebellion have dropped banners across The Palace of Westminster, including off the building. The protest points to the need for a Citizens’ Assembly to cut through the corruption in Westminster, update politics & let the people decide. Follow for updates. pic.twitter.com/XarzQFAHcI
— Extinction Rebellion UK 🌍 (@XRebellionUK) September 2, 2022
Protest groups such as Insulate Britain have previously used the tactic of supergluing people to roads to demonstrate against government inaction on climate issues.
Home Secretary Priti Patel's Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill takes specific aim at such protests, criminalising anyone who attaches themselves to “a person, to an object or to land”.
The House of Commons is currently in its summer recess. MPs are due to return on September 5, the same day which will see the announcement of the next prime minister.
However, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said an investigation into the Extinction Rebellion protest has been launched by the police and parliamentary security.
He said: “The incident on the parliamentary estate has now been resolved. Arrests have been made and there are no longer any protesters on the estate.
“I would like to thank our parliamentary security and police colleagues who acted quickly and professionally to address the disruption.
“It is a real shame that those visitors who made arrangements to join tours of the Palace of Westminster today had their visit disrupted and cancelled.
“Despite the disruption, democratic tours will take place tomorrow.
“A joint investigation into the incident will take place between police and parliamentary security, and I will be providing a further update to the House of Commons at the start of business on Monday.”
