A GLOUCESTERSHIRE County Council meeting this morning was called to a halt due to a protest by climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion.
After declaring Gloucestershire County Council 'guilty of criminal negligence', members of the group superglued themselves to the seat in the public gallery at Shire Hall, 'until the council’s budget acknowledges climate change'.
They’re now singing pic.twitter.com/dXtZf3iVMG
— Leigh Boobyer (@LeighBoobyer) 13 February 2019
The important meeting, which will see councillors asked to approve a 4.99% increase to council tax was halted and police were called.
Police spoke to the protesters before closing Shire Hall declaring that the whole building is private.
Members of the media have since been allowed back in and the budget meeting has been resumed.
The council released a statement before resuming the meeting, saying the right to protest is respected but actions 'crossed the line'.
A joint statement from council leader Cllr Mark Hawthorne, Cllr Paul Hodgkinson group leader for the Liberal Democrats, Cllr Lesley Williams, leader for the Labour and Co-operative group said: "We completely respect the right to protest but the actions of a few this morning crossed the line. The police were called to support us in ensuring democracy was allowed to continue.
"We thank all those that attended the meeting and were truly interested in the business of the council for their patience whilst order was restored."
AS IT HAPPENED:
The meeting started just after 10am, with members paying tribute to Cllr Jack Williams who passed away last month.
Shortly after the tributes finished, climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion halted the meeting stating that Gloucestershire County Council is "guilty of climate negligence."
Climate change protest group Extinction Rebellion have halted the meeting against the council’s planning on air pollution pic.twitter.com/11FmByj6Bw
— Leigh Boobyer (@LeighBoobyer) February 13, 2019
Then in a bizarre twist, two protesters of the group, dressed in judge's clothes, superglued themselves to the public gallery of Shire Hall “until the council’s budget acknowledges climate change.”
Its worth adding that Shire Hall is a grade two listed building.
Protesters have superglued themselves to the public gallery of Shire Hall “until the council’s budget acknowledges climate change” pic.twitter.com/XQYUunVJRq
— Hayley Mortimer (@HayleyMortimer) February 13, 2019
The protesters then took over the council chamber prompting a call to the police.
The police have been called pic.twitter.com/7OpX9xe76G
— Leigh Boobyer (@LeighBoobyer) February 13, 2019
The council chamber was then closed to members, the public and the press, until Extinction Rebellion stopped with their protest.
Half an hour after the protest started, the protesters were finally unstuck from the furniture in Shire Hall and left the building.
One of the protestors, Sid Saunders, has shown me his hand after super-gluing it to the furniture pic.twitter.com/Ze8V6jbS8k
— Leigh Boobyer (@LeighBoobyer) February 13, 2019
It is thought that the protesters used coca-cola to free themselves from the sofa.
And just an hour after the protest had taken over Shire Hall, the meeting resumed.
Many thanks to LDR reporter Leigh Boobyer and BBC Gloucesteshire's Hayley Mortimer for their reports on the incident.
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