Extinction Rebellion: Arrests made as protesters target Parliament
At least five people have been arrested today after environmental campaigners from protest group Extinction Rebellion blocked streets near parliament today to campaign for new legislation on climate change.
Extinction Rebellion protesters were arrested today after they sat down in roads near to Parliament Square to stop traffic.
The protesters are calling on MPs to back The Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill (CEE), a private members bill set to be tabled by Green MP Caroline Lucas on Wednesday.
The Bill – which aims to set an emergency path for the UK to follow on climate change – would involve the creation of a so-called citizens’ assembly to “help both the UK government and parliament create and review the strategy to achieve the bill’s objectives”.
Extinction Rebellion said the assembly “will allow the government and parliament the public mandate to implement the necessary fundamental societal changes”.
The protest is part of Extinction Rebellion’s first major round of action in 2020 after the group closed down parts of central London and disrupted the City last year with road blockades.
Today the group marched on Parliament Square and blockaded multiple roads in Westminster.
Conservative MP Damian Green criticised the protesters for blocking bus traffic in the area.
The group cancelled protests scheduled to target London on 23 May due to the coronavirus lockdown.
Today, Extinction Rebellion asked protesters in Parliament Square to observe social distancing and use hand sanitiser to try and prevent the spread of Covid-19
