Protesters dressed as politicians light fire in pram outside parliament house
A fiery protest fizzled out this afternoon when police dunked a bucket of water over a burning pram outside parliament house. WATCH THE VIDEO >>
Tasmania
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A fiery protest fizzled out this afternoon when police dunked a bucket of water over a burning pram outside parliament house.
Extinction Rebellion protesters dressed up as Scott Morrison, Barnaby Joyce, and Susan Ley gleefully gathered around the fire to “barbecue the future” of younger generations.
Police informed them it was illegal to light fires outside parliament house, and when they refused to move on officers doused the flames themselves.
Activist Lillian Brinken said they were ramping up their protests in the lead-up to the Conference of Parties summit next week.
“We’re concerned about the net zero by 2050 targets the coalition has adopted,” Ms Brinken said.
“It’s woefully inadequate. It is too little too late. Climate change is not happening in 30 years, it’s happening now.”
Extinction Rebellion activist Jacquie, channeling the spirit of Barnaby Joyce, said the police had rained on their parade.
“I don’t care if I’ve got kids, I’m still going to barbecue the future because it’s all about putting money on the table of the fossil fuel corporations who are our donors,” she declared.
“The police are wet blankets, but that’s not going to stop us. We’re going to keep barbecuing the planet.”
Hunger strikers break their fast in seven-day protest
Two hunger strikers have given in and broken their fasts, with two activists still holding steadfast for their seven-day protest.
The Extinction Rebellion environmentalists just need to hold out until 6pm on Thursday, which will mark the final day of their week-long hunger strike.
Jacqui McElwee managed to last four days without food, but finally threw in the towel on Tuesday.
“I’m a registered nurse and I have to go to work tomorrow, and I need to be responsible and functioning properly,” she said.
“That’s my reasoning for finishing my fast. I need calories to make my brain work for work tomorrow.”
Sharee McCammon said she was craving some asparagus, but was determined to stick it out until the very end.
Some “keyboard warriors” said they were going to taunt the protesters with buckets of KFC, but Ms McCammon said none of them had actually followed through.
She said she was a little woozy, but was otherwise feeling good about the level of support they’d been getting from members of the public.
“Yesterday was really hard. I was feeling nauseous and weak, but feeling positive about the response we’re getting from people who understand just how serious our situation is,” she said.
“I’m more worried about the news of what the federal government has announced on their appalling pathetic efforts on climate action.”
Micah Landon-Lane said he was looking forward to tomorrow afternoon, when they would be holding their celebratory picnic.
Mr Landon-Lane said they’d been pondering about what to eat when the final day of fasting ended.
“We’ve thought about that for a long time. I think it has to be light for us to digest, so no pies or greasy chips,” Mr Landon-Lane.
“For me, I would really like watermelon and maybe some potato salad.”
Hunger strikers suffer bellyache over climate policies
Protesters are growing shaky halfway through their week-long climate action hunger strike, with some politicians beginning to take notice.
The Extinction Rebellion is no stranger to eye-catching stunts. You may have seen the group’s members by the roadside at South Hobart last week, dressed as koalas and other native creatures and waving signs calling for immediate climate action.
Or you may have heard the catchy tunes of the Bee Gees during one of their flash mobs as they danced to “Stayin’ Alive”.
Perhaps you’ve even been stopped in traffic longer than you would have cared for during one of their city-street protests.
A handful of Extinction Rebellion’s activists have camped out on Parliament Lawns for their latest public protest – a seven-day hunger strike.
Since the strike began on Friday, at least three more hunger strikers have joined the original group of five calling on the federal government to cease subsidising and approving coal and gas projects.
Hunger striker and PhD student Micah Landon-Lane was feeling “a bit shaky” on Sunday afternoon.
“How far does this have to go until my government takes the climate crisis seriously and follows basic scientific advice by stopping taxpayer subsidies to the fossil fuel industry?” he said.
Another striker and registered nurse Jacqui McElwee asked how many more people had to join the strike before the government would “take real climate action”.
“It is not fair that our political system requires everyday hardworking Australians to put their bodies and health on the line just to get our government to do their job and create a safe future,” she said.
The group said Climate Change Minister Roger Jaensch and Legislative Council members Rob Valentine and Rosemary Armitage were intending to meet with the mob.
The strike will end on Thursday evening where the group will begin their Picnic for the Planet, welcoming food donations for a local charity.
‘Sick of the inaction’: Why group is on a week-long hunger strike
Protesters have embarked on a seven-day hunger strike outside Tasmanian parliament to demand more action on climate change.
Five Extinction Rebellion activists took their last bite of food at noon on Friday before hunkering down on parliament lawn for their week-long fast.
One of them was PhD student Micah Landon-Lane, who has been researching the effects of marine pollution and plastic debris on the environment.
Mr Landon-Lane said he was not looking forward to the hunger pangs, but felt that drastic action was needed to get the politicians to notice.
“We’re hunger striking because we’re really sick of our government’s inaction on climate change, and even climate change denial,” Mr Landon-Lane said.
“We’re all going to be hungry, none of us are doing this lightly. All of us would rather be doing anything else, but we’re seeing that nobody in government is taking this seriously.”
Molecular biologist Sharee McCammon is one of the ringleaders of the hunger strike, and she too will be foregoing food for seven days.
Ms McCammon said she loved food quite a bit, but was willing to go without for the sake of her children and the generations that follow.
“I’ve barely skipped breakfast before, but what else can we do? The government is working with their fossil fuel donors and mates, how can we possibly compete with that?
“I’ve got children, I’ve got friends with children, how can we not do something? We’re waiting for the cavalry to come over the hill to come and save us, but nobody’s coming: it’s up to us to step up.”
Independent MP Andrew Wilkie dropped by to give the protesters some words of encouragement in the lead-up to their hunger strike.
“It shouldn’t be necessary for people to go hungry to make the point to politicians, but it has
reached this point,” Mr Wilkie said.
“If we don’t take strong action, there will not be a more breathtaking case of social
injustice, and environmental injustice in the planet’s history.”
The protest will end next Thursday at 6pm with the hunger strikers breaking their fast with a public “Picnic for the Planet’’ on parliament Lawns.
On the final day the protesters will also be accepting food donations for a local charity, helping Tasmanians who can’t afford a meal.
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