Extinction Rebellion sets anti-oil banner on Scottish Parliament

Environmental activists from Extinction Rebellion organization have climbed the Scottish Parliament and dropped a banner reading ‘Choose Oil or Choose Life: Act Now’ over the entrance.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) said on Thursday that the three activists hanging the banner on the Parliament building marked the beginning of the ‘Make The Connections’ campaign.

According to the environmentalists, the three activists aim to remain in place until First Minister’s Questions ends at 2:00 PM.

“We are hurtling towards the breakdown of the support systems we rely on for life. This has not happened by accident; we have known the science and the solutions for decades.

“But wilful obstruction by finance and fossil fuel companies have led to our Government implementing weak climate change policy which shores up the profits of these companies while putting all of our lives at risk”, Extinction Rebellion said.

XR further stated that ‘Choose Your Future, Choose Life’ bus stop advertising boards also appeared in Dundee, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Stirling overnight.

One climber, Myke Hall said: “If the Scottish Government really wants to be world leaders on the climate emergency, they need to stop pretending that big fossil fuel companies are part of the solution.

“These corporations have known about ecological breakdown for decades and have only drilled deeper. They serve the bank accounts of billionaire shareholders, not the workers, not the people of Scotland, and certainly not those suffering today in the areas most affected”.

Another climber, Meg Peyton Jones added: “Scotland is financially and politically tied to a destructive and dying industry – this does not have to be the case, and we call on the government for a just transition away from oil, led by the workers rather than corporations.

“A 2019 survey by a coalition of green charities showed nearly 70 per cent of British people want urgent political action on climate change. The 2020 Offshore survey of oil and gas workers in Scotland showed that 81 per cent would consider moving industries, with over half saying they would move to renewables given the chance”.

XR stated that these actions were part of a series of actions happening throughout October highlighting “the collusion between fossil fuel companies, the finance sector, and government in locking [Scotland] into a future marred by climate and ecological breakdown”.

The first week will focus on Government, the next will focus on finance, while the third will be used to protest against fossil fuels. All this will culminate on 26 October, the day Scottish Parliament reconvenes after their October recess when synchronised protests will take place in several locations simultaneously.

To remind, activists from Extinction Rebellion organization occupied a Valaris-owned jack-up rig in January. At the time, the rig was located in Dundee harbour and was contracted to Shell.

Also, Extinction Rebellion blocked the German Parliament (Bundestag) on Wednesday with around 350 activists taking part in demonstrations.

The movement staged blockades, stating that environmental devastation should be deemed a crime.