Extinction Rebellion protesters have used a fire engine to spray 1,800 litres of fake blood outside the UK Treasury Building in London.
After unfurling banners reading “stop funding climate death” and “this is an emergency” the protesters began shooting the red-died water at the building.
However, they soon lost control of the industrial hose with most of the ‘blood’ pooling on the steps and pavement outside the building.
After police arrived, four people were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.
The campaigners said the fire engine was out of commission and the fake blood made with food dye that can be washed off.
Extinction Rebellion said the UK Treasury has “blood on its hands” as the UK is the biggest subsidiser of fossil fuels in the EU.
It said UK financial support for overseas fossil fuel projects last year amounted to £2bn (€2.26bn) – an 11-fold increase on the year before.
Extinction Rebellion protestors outside the UK Treasury building in London, 03-10-2019. Image: Aaron Chown/PA Wire/PA ImagesRetired GP Diana Warner was among the protesters.
“The situation around global heating and environmental destruction is so urgent that I am risking imprisonment,” she said.
“I consider what I am doing now with Extinction Rebellion to be more important than any other work I have done as a doctor and mother.”
The police have arrived at the @hmtreasury.
Thank you to all the brave rebels putting their freedom on the line for our futures, your courage gives us strength as we approach the start of the #InternationalRebellion on 7 October! #stopfundingclimatedeath#ExtinctionRebellion pic.twitter.com/r7nlAMhcOV— Extinction Rebellion UK 🌍 (@XRebellionUK) October 3, 2019
School leader Cathy Eastburn said she was forced to act as she is “terrified” her two children will not have a future.
“Around the world people are already losing their lives and homes because of climate breakdown,” she said. “Floods, droughts, food shortages, more frequent extreme weather events, and so on.”
She said she is willing to go to prison to highlight the level of UK spending on fossil fuel projects.
“Last September the Secretary General of the UN said we have two years to take serious action in order to avert complete catastrophe and possible extinction,2 she said.
“Decisions being made here in the Treasury right now – including huge subsidies for fossil fuels, financing massive fossil fuels projects overseas, airport expansion – have devastating consequences and are incompatible with a liveable future for my children and all children everywhere.”
Extinction Rebellion is planning a global series of demonstrations starting next Monday October 7th.
