More than a dozen protesters from the activist group Extinction Rebellion have glued themselves to multiple points in the U.S. Capitol to block lawmakers and protest inaction on climate change.
Sixteen protesters from the anti-climate change group blocked multiple doorways connecting the Capitol subway to House office buildings, including in the Cannon and Rayburn House office buildings. The protesters used Gorilla Glue to stick their hands to the doors of the buildings and one another as lawmakers tried to get to a vote at 6:30 p.m., Kaela Bamberger, an Extinction Rebellion organizer, confirmed to The Hill.
{mosads}”This is not a drill! Activists are superglued to the tunnel connecting the House to the Capitol building so that lawmakers are forced to face up to the climate crisis. Time is up — Declare Climate Emergency NOW!” the organization’s Twitter account shared.
The protesters were seen wearing yellow signs that said “Closed. We’re sorry. Due to the climate emergency Congress is shut down until sufficient action is taken to address the crisis.”
Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) called the protest “Another day at the Capitol.”
The organization also tweeted that it was met with “excessive police force.”
The protesters also trying to put pressure on lawmakers to declare an emergency over climate change. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), alongside Rep. Earl Blumenauer (R-Ore.), introduced a House and Senate concurrent resolution to declare climate change an official emergency earlier this month.