A group of climate activists has returned to throw paint a year later on the facade of the Congress of Deputies to protest against the “inaction” of the Government to stop global warming. Several members of the organizations Rebellion Científica, Rebellion or Extinction and Futuro Vegetal have climbed the steps of the main door and have emptied several canisters filled with red liquid against the columns, the door and the symbolic lions that preside over that entrance. “A year has passed since the action of Congress and the publication of the sixth IPCC report and our government continues without doing anything,” several of them have claimed. “Climate justice, now”, they have shouted from the stairs.
The Anti-Terrorist Brigade detains 14 climate activists who threw paint at Congress
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“I am here because I am fed up. Don’t you see it? They are killing us”, shouted one of the protesters. The group has climbed the stairs of the main façade of the institution. Several have released the liquid on the columns and on the wall and several of them have climbed on the lions. A large group of police, made up of riot officers, has quickly intervened and arrested eight activists, including some who were arrested about a year ago for a similar action. So, the agents took about fifteen people who are just beginning to testify this Thursday in the Plaza de Castilla games for that act. “During this action, which had an international media impact, several renowned scientific personalities decided for the first time to risk being arrested to alert the rest of society about the climate catastrophe that threatens all of humanity,” says a statement signed by the organizations. who have participated in the action.
The organizations calling for the protest have reported that both last year’s action and that of this Thursday have the same objective: to show a rejection of the “repression” of the scientific and climate movements that “threaten” freedom of expression. They have also recalled that the world is facing “a temperature increase of 1.2ºC” and “a serious food safety crisis that is already making itself felt in many European countries, including Spain”. “We are fed up with nothing being done,” said one of the activists, who has complained that governments continue to fail to act despite reports that speak of a “climate emergency”, according to information from Europa Press.
After the action, the agents have reduced the eight people who have participated and have taken them to the side of the steps, where the activists have continued to raise their hands in protest and launch slogans such as “climate justice now” or “We are ruled by criminals.” The Police have blocked the passage on that section of the sidewalk and have forced all the media and pedestrians to move to the adjoining Plaza de las Cortes, where several activists have continued to protest.
This afternoon, the participating group Rebelión o Extinción has called a rally in that same square to support the people detained by Rebellion Científica and to demand “before Parliament and the representatives elected by the citizens” a “true emergency action, which has into account both the necessary climate justice and participatory democracy”.
