This Extinction Rebellion stunt is much better with the sound on… pic.twitter.com/axWjK0HJhL
— Julia Hartley-Brewer (@JuliaHB1) October 3, 2019
From atop a decommissioned fire engine parallel-parked in front of the British Treasury building Thursday morning, climate activists began unleashing hundreds of gallons of fake blood.
The activists’ plan, according to a statement about their protest, was to draw attention to what they say is the British government’s inconsistent messaging on climate change. The government claims to be a world leader in studying the way humans have affected global temperature and the decline of ecosystems worldwide, the activists say, while also pouring “vast sums” into “fossil fuel exploration and carbon-intensive projects.”
But literally three seconds after the activists started their flashy assault, they lost control of their hose, and the 475 gallons of fake blood that was supposed to cover the Treasury building’s facade instead ended up mostly on the street and sidewalk in front of it.
The group, Extinction Rebellion, never regained control of the hose, leaving the facade of the Treasury mostly untouched. But the road, sidewalk and front steps were drenched in red water that was colored with food dye, photos and video taken during and after the action show.
Nevertheless, the activists stood firm on the top deck of the firetruck as authorities arrived to arrest them.
