A CHIROPRACTOR, a teacher and a management consultant staged their own lone demonstrations over climate change action.
The trio from the group Extinction Rebellion took up positions in Brighton and Hove to raise awareness of their concerns.
They sat in traffic and at zebra crossings with their placards to highlight their concerns.
The group said they were risking their lives to speak out about inaction on climate change, two years on from Parliament’s declaration of a climate emergency.
Ruth Urbanowicz, 70, a chiropractor, sat in the traffic in Lewes Road, her sign stating “I’m terrified about the future for our kids because of climate change’’
Ruth said: “I feel I must act to put pressure on the government to see that the climate and ecological emergency is the most urgent issue we face, By being brave and foolish I hope I will make a difference.”
At the same time Susan Williams, 65, a teacher and support worker, sat in the traffic in North Road wearing a sign urging “listen to the science”.
She cited the damage from wildfires and floods caused by climate change.
Meanwhile in Seven Dials, Dr Lindsay Parkin, 56, a father of two schoolchildren, sat in traffic in Dyke Road.
Dr Parkin, a management consultant, voiced his exasperation at the lack of action on climate change saying ”meaningful immediate action is the only way to confront this real existential threat”.
They were joining hundreds of others staging similar protests around the country as part of the “I will not be a bystander” campaign.
Extinction Rebellion activists staged their protests. Pictured by Danny Fitzpatrick - DFphotography
Extinction Rebellion said: “In Brighton at 11am on Saturday, three local people stopped traffic by peacefully sitting in roads wearing signs proclaiming their fears about the climate emergency.
“As they sat in the way of oncoming traffic, these three risked their lives in order to speak out about government inaction on climate two years on from Parliament’s declaration of an environment and climate emergency.
“But these sitters were not alone. Around the country, over 200 people just like them, terrified about the trajectory we are on in this climate and ecological emergency, also took action in their home towns in the same way.
“As lockdown rules began to lift in the UK, people blocked roads from Aberdeen to Birmingham to Yarmouth and beyond.”
The group claimed it wanted to challenge the government’s “lies” about plans to tackle climate change.
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