When threatened with arrests, one activist said, “They came round and told us that we should be moving on. I don’t think we are going to move on. It’s not a risk if you know you’re going to be arrested. It’s something I’ll do if I need to.”
On Monday and Tuesday, roughly two hundred environmental activists super glued themselves to the U.K. Ministry of Transportation to protest the supposed lack of action of the British government to tackle climate change according to the Guardian.
The protest began Monday with activists claiming they’re not going anywhere. Many who remained until Tuesday were arrested by police.
According to The Guardian, the tactic was part of a bigger ploy to force a two-week government shutdown and included other protests at various locations around the U.K., such as Westminster Bridge, Lambeth Bridge, Trafalgar Square and Smithfield market.
They also set up roadblocks, glued themselves to cars, and set up tents in the streets to cause as much disruption to daily productivity as possible.
I really don’t like children very much, except my daughter. They’re so weird. I blame it on my generation raising them wrong. pic.twitter.com/uDTUJMZy7q
— Cassandra Fairbanks??? (@CassandraRules)
When threatened with arrests, one activist said, “They came round and told us that we should be moving on. I don’t think we are going to move on. It’s not a risk if you know you’re going to be arrested. It’s something I’ll do if I need to.”
“We’ve got extremely good legal support and it’s a very well set-up organisation, so I feel like I’ll be supported all through the way. An arrest doesn’t mean a conviction.”
Another said, “Just because you’re being arrested doesn’t mean you do or don’t support Extinction Rebellion any more than the next person.”
“There are people within this group that support this group very much and they won’t be getting arrested, but they support everybody.”
Extinction Rebellion – Day 3 pic.twitter.com/RxRNukO8IB
— Mike Nayna (@MikeNayna)
Sky News questioned one activist, 33-year-old NHS manager Mike Gumn, who said, “I have a job – I have taken annual leave to be here. I’d rather be with my family.”
“I want to make a statement that [the activists] are all different sorts of people from all different walks of life, not just people you would call hippies.”
Gunn also mentioned that his children’s futures were motivators for his protest.
“We will decide as a group when we are going to move, and we are not going to let police tell us when,” he continued.
“I would not like to get arrested, but if that happens when I am exercising my right to protest and deliver a good life for my children, then I will take it on the chin.”
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