Extinction Rebellion activists protest meeting between MSPs and British Petroleum at Scottish Parliament

Earlier today, activists from the environmental protest group poured fake ‘oil’ outside the Scottish Parliament, in their efforts to condemn a meeting being held between MSPs and British Petroleum (BP).

On Monday, December 1, two activists poured fake, non-toxic oil into the pond outside the Parliament, turning it black, to challenge BP's investment in the Trans Mountain Pipeline project in Canada.

As part of the protest, one activist dressed up as an MSP, while another pretended to be a BP oil executive. The pair lay in a bed on the pavement, outside the main entrance of the parliament, to show their objection at what they described as “the overly cosy relationship between the company and decision-makers”.

At the meeting in question, BP executives are expected to discuss their continued production of oil and gas in Scotland and their plan to reach net zero.

John, an Extinction Rebellion protester from Edinburgh, said: "Less than a month after COP26, where governments once again put fossil fuel interests over the needs of people and planet, BP are being welcomed into the heart of our parliament to talk about their plans to expand production and their ambition to reach net zero. But ambitions are not binding targets. Until they accept the severity of climate breakdown and set out clear actions to reduce fossil fuel production, everything they say is just greenwashing. BP are not part of the solution, they are part of the problem. The politicans may give them a warm welcome, but we will not”.

Another demonstrator named Justin said: "It is an insult to the First Nations peoples and to the people of Scotland, for BP to be invited to our Parliament and given a platform to spout the Net Zero by 2050 nonsense, the excuse for not cutting emissions now. Especially when they are involved in a project that blows any chances of meeting 1.5 degrees and that threatens the waters, lands and human rights of First Nations.”"Our elected representatives should be showing solidarity with the people most impacted by fossil fuel companies, not with the climate criminals who continue to value profit over human rights".

A message from the Editor:

Extinction Rebellion protesters gathered outside the Scottish Parliament, with two activists dressing as an MSP and BP respectively, in order to criticise the 'overly cosy relationship between the company and decision-makers'.

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