Climate change protestors climb iconic Glasgow crane

15 April 2019, 14:26 | Updated: 15 April 2019, 14:31

Climate change activists scaled the Finnieston Crane and hung banners at Glasgow City Chambers as part of nationwide protests.

On Monday, members of Extinction Rebellion Scotland climbed the crane and hung a banner reading 'science not silence', at Pacific Quay.

Police arrived at the site at around 7am and removed the campaigners, although no arrests were made.

The action is part of an international week of protests calling for governments and councils around the world to declare a climate emergency.

Protests are also expected in Edinburgh and London at Parliament Square on Monday morning.

Explaining the reasons for protesting, one Extinction Rebellion member said: "We are just ordinary citizens and we want the council to act responsibly and save us from this accelerating disaster which may lead to serious flooding and food shortages in Scotland and across the world.

"27 other UK councils have declared a climate emergency. Why hasn't Glasgow?"

In January this year, around 40 Extinction Rebellion activists occupied the debating chamber at the Scottish Parliament, staging an hour-long sit-in.

Daryl Tayar, another member of Extinction Rebellion, added: "I'm sure Robert Burns would've been happy to wear such a symbol - his poetry shows just how much he loved the environment and of course how radical his politics were.

"He said it himself: 'I'm truly sorry Man's dominion has broken Nature's social union'.

"If he were alive today, he'd be asking the City Council to declare a climate emergency urgently."

Glasgow City Councillor Anna Richardson said: "There can be no doubt that Glasgow, along with the rest of the world, is facing a climate emergency.

"The enormous challenge created by climate change is exactly why the council has set up a working group and asked for recommendations on the way forward. I have already made the commitment that I will act on these recommendations.

"Members of Extinction Rebellion are part of our Climate Emergency Working Group. This gives them a real opportunity to contribute constructively to the debate on carbon reduction and influence what Glasgow does in the face of a global threat.

"Unfortunately, after their previous protest, precious time, money and resources were wasted when staff had to remove 80 metres of graffiti which had been daubed on roads and pavements outside the city chambers."

Scottish Greens climate spokesman Mark Ruskell MSP said: "It's great to see citizen action highlighting the threat posed by climate breakdown.

"Unfortunately, every other party voted against our proposal to declare a climate emergency last month in the Scottish Parliament.

"Only the Greens are willing to take the necessary action to tackle the climate crisis.

"The people of Scotland will soon have the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to taking the bold and urgent action required to tackle the climate emergency by electing Scotland's first Green MEP."