The climate protection group Extinction Rebellion is making the British House of Commons unsafe with banners, chains and stickers. A photo posted on Twitter shows activists clinging to the Speaker of Parliament's chair. At the same time, banners call for a town meeting to be called.
Climate activists from Extinction Rebellion have broken into the Chamber of Commons and taped themselves to the Speaker's chair. Three activists occupied Speaker of Commons Lindsay Hoyle's carved chair while two other activists held banners, according to a photo posted to the environmental group's Twitter account. It read: "Public meeting now!" and "Let the people decide!". "We are in a crisis. We cannot afford to continue like this," it said in a speech.
Outside the currently scaffolded Westminster Hall, the oldest part of the Houses of Parliament, they had put up another banner, which also called for a citizens' meeting to be called. In addition, other activists chained themselves to the gates in front of the building.
"Independent citizens' assemblies can show that those blocking progress in Westminster have no democratic mandate to continue environmental destruction," an Extinction Rebellion spokeswoman said, according to the British news agency PA. "We are aware of an incident on Parliament's grounds and are treating the situation with urgency," said a House of Commons spokesman.
Certain areas of the UK Parliament are currently open to visitors during the summer recess. The plenary halls are also open to the public - but usually only as part of guided visitor tours. A new session week begins on Monday. Then the result of the election to succeed outgoing Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to be announced.
