Arrests as climate change activists halt traffic at Holyrood

A climate change protester has been arrested after a human chain was formed outside the Scottish Parliament.

Two protesters glued themselves to the ground, blocking the entrance and exit at Holyrood’s car park. Police said one has been arrested.

Activists demonstrated outside entrances to the Scottish Parliament as MSPs debated new legislation on setting targets to tackle climate change.

A total of 13 people were charged after activists blocked a main road in the city for around six hours on Monday by locking themselves together.

Organisers Extinction Rebellion Scotland criticised MSPs for voting through amendments to the Climate Change Bill to cut greenhouse emissions to net zero by 2045, 20 years past the target campaigners want.

The group’s social media co-ordinator, Lauren McGlynn, from Edinburgh, said this is “disappointing”, adding: “It doesn’t seem like they are listening to us.”

The 2045 target meets recommendations in a recent Committee for Climate Change report but Ms McGlynn said it does not go far enough.

She said: “2045 is ecocide. We’re already seeing the effects of climate change, people are already dying, we’re already seeing catastrophic storms, wildfire, bleaching of coral reefs, the oceans in danger.

“It’s not good enough. We need an emergency response.

“The first minister has declared a climate emergency and this is not a Climate Bill fit for an emergency.”

Ms McGlynn said Scotland as a wealthy nation should be doing more and Parliament could be taking further action.

Sarah Mercer, an activist from the Isle of Man taking part in the protests, said: “This really is the biggest cultural revolution that we’re going to go through in our living memory and to be honest with you, in most of human existence.

“I think that being a part of the change of being on the right side of history is really important and we’d like other people to be on the right side of history, so that’s why we’re here and talking to people and getting engaged with politicians.”