Published on Apr 1, 2019

Semi-naked climate change protesters interrupted a House of Commons Brexit debate, spending almost 20 minutes with their buttocks facing the chamber.

MPs attempted to continue the debate during the peaceful protest by 11 activists from Extinction Rebellion, though several made coded mentions to the protest in their speeches.

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Guardian Culture ► http://is.gd/guardianculture</s>Protesters strip off in House of Commons during Brexit debate

Protesters strip off in House of Commons during Brexit debate

The protesters stripped off in the House of Commons' public gallery. Pic: James Heappey MP/Twitter

A group of protesters have been arrested after stripping off in the House of Commons as MPs debated Brexit.

Direct action group Extinction Rebellion said semi-naked activists had glued their hands to the Commons' public gallery to "call attention to the 'elephant in the room' - climate and ecological crisis."

"We are walking dangerously close to irreversible climate collapse - this is what it has come to," the group said.

MP James Heappey shared an image of the protesters from the floor of the Commons with the caption: "Parliament just got a little bit more nuts!"

Sky's political correspondent Kate McCann said one man wearing a leather thong-style pouch had glued his hand to the gallery and pressed his body against the glass wall.

Two of the activists wore full grey body paint and elephant masks, while some had words written on their bodies including "Climate justice act now" and "eco collapse".

Police said 12 people have been arrested for "outraging public decency" following the protest.

The demonstration came as MPs prepare for a second round of indicative votes on alternative Brexit options.

Speaker John Bercow maintained that the debate ahead of the votes would proceed despite the protest.

Several doorkeepers attempted to remove the demonstrators, but they remained in position for several minutes.

Extinction Rebellion posted a photograph of police officers questioning the activists after they had been removed from the House of Commons' chamber.

Activist Mark Ovland said: "By undressing in parliament, we are putting ourselves in an incredibly vulnerable position, highlighting the vulnerability that all of us share in the face of environmental and societal breakdown.

"There is an elephant in the room and it is demanding attention."

Wildlife biologist Iggy Fox, 24, said: "I'm tired of the time and resources our government wastes rearranging the deckchairs on the Brexitanic.

"I want a future, and right now they are burning it like there's no tomorrow."</s>Activists spent almost 20 minutes with their hands glued to the public gallery and buttocks facing the chamber

This article is more than 5 months old

This article is more than 5 months old

Semi-naked climate change protesters interrupted a House of Commons Brexit debate and glued their hands to the glass of the public gallery, spending almost 20 minutes with their buttocks facing the chamber.

MPs attempted to continue the debate during the peaceful protest by 11 activists from Extinction Rebellion, though several made coded mentions to the protest in their speeches.

Protesters had slogans daubed on their chests, including “for all life” and “SOS” and two more wore grey body paint and elephant masks, which the group said referred to climate change as “the elephant in the room”.

Play Video 2:04 MPs react as semi-naked climate protesters disrupt Brexit debate - video

Police cleared the public gallery in the House of Commons and then removed the protesters individually, some of whom were carried out by officers.

The police later said 12 people had been arrested “for outraging public decency”.

The protest began during a speech by the Labour MP Peter Kyle, who was arguing in favour of his motion to add a confirmatory Brexit referendum.

The Tory MP Justine Greening congratulated Kyle for “fleshing out his arguments very well indeed” and Kyle in turn thanked the Conservative MP Steve Brine for a “cheeky intervention”.

The Conservative Nick Boles congratulated Kyle for delivering his speech “with a certain amount of distraction” and quipped that many of his Tory colleagues appeared to be missing from the benches around him including “a noted naturist”.

Boles was referring to the Brexiter MP Bernard Jenkin – who enjoys nudism as a private hobby.

In a point of order, the Conservative MP Nigel Evans said the House of Commons had dealt well with “a distraction, not a disruption to our proceedings” and thanked thanked police and Commons officials.

The Speaker, John Bercow, also thanked officials after the protesters were removed. “We just press on with the debate, that is what we are here to do,” he said, to cheers in the chamber.

In a statement after the protest, one of the activists, Mark Ovland, said climate change was being “flagrantly and recklessly ignored by our government and media” and the group wanted to draw attention to the crisis during the debate on Brexit.

“By undressing in parliament, we are putting ourselves in an incredibly vulnerable position, highlighting the vulnerability that all of us share in the face of environmental and societal breakdown,” he said.

Another of the activists, Iggy Fox, said: “I’m tired of the time and resources our government wastes rearranging the deckchairs on the Brexitanic. It’s high time politicians stop beating around the bush and tackle the environmental crisis head on, like they should have done years ago. I won’t stop causing disruption until the government does its duty to protect the people from disaster.”</s>Police have arrested 12 people on suspicion of outraging public decency after climate change activists stripped off to stage a protest in the House of Commons while MPs debated Brexit.

A group of largely-naked Extinction Rebellion protesters with messages painted on their bodies stood up in the public gallery overlooking the debate on Monday night.

Some were pressed against the glass which separates the gallery from the chamber, with police who were sent to the scene to negotiate saying one had "super-glued" themselves to the window.

MPs were seen taking a glance up at the protest and Speaker John Bercow maintained that the debate on the second stage of the Brexit alternatives would proceed despite the protest.

Scotland Yard said: "12 arrests have been made for outraging public decency."

Read more of today's top stories here

An earlier statement from the force had said: "The protesters are naked and one of them has super-glued themselves to a window.

"Officers are on scene and attempting to negotiate with them."

Extinction Rebellion, which describes itself as a non-violent direct action and civil disobedience group, said the protest was an attempt to draw politicians' attentions to the "climate and ecological crisis".

Protester Savannah, an English literature student from Ladbroke Grove, told the Press Association: "Everyone stripped and two people were elephants and had climate crisis written on them.

"We were pointing at them as the elephants in the room of the Brexit debate."

She added: "Personally I don't care that much about Brexit.

"I think it's fine that people do but I think there are bigger things right now."

The group of men and women with slogans stood up as Labour MP Peter Kyle was making a speech.

One of the MPs speaking during the nude protest, Tory Nick Boles, made a joke that his Brexiteer colleagues were "noted naturists".

"It has long been a thoroughly British trait to be able to ignore pointless nakedness, and I trust the House will be able to return to the issue that we are discussing," he added.

An Extinction Rebellion spokesman said the naked protest was an effort "to try and force the issue up the news agenda as far as possible so it breaks through the Brexit Radar".

"They have gone in there knowing they will be arrested. They are willingly doing this," he added.

Several doorkeepers attempted to remove the protesters, but they remained in position for several minutes.

The dozen or so semi-naked protesters stood in a line with their backs pressed against the security glass of the public gallery. Most were only wearing knickers or underpants.

On their bodies were written the words "Climate justice act now" and "eco collapse".</s>Naked protesters have sensationally stormed the House of Commons today.

The outrageous scenes played out on Monday, April 1, leaving social media awash with comments.

Twitter and Facebook users flocked to share images taken from inside the House of Commons shortly after 5pm.

Naked protesters covered in environmental slogans were photographed in the gallery.

The story is currently developing and more information is becoming available.

The details behind the protest are unknown but it came during an MP debate on Brexit.

MPs were in the House for a series indicative votes.

The activists are from the group Extinction Rebellion.

Extinction Rebellion posted photos of the protest on their Twitter account, saying its activists were "calling attention to the 'elephant in the room' - climate and ecological crisis."

"We are walking dangerously close to irreversible climate collapse - this is what it has come to," the group said.

The campaigners have slogans scrawled across their bodies including "climate justice act now", "eco collapse" and "stop wasting time".

In a statement the group said they were doing it because climate change was being "flagrantly and recklessly ignored by our government and media".

MP James Heappy shared an image of the protesters from the floor of the Commons with the caption: "Parliament just got a little bit more nuts!"

Speaking in favour of his proposal Peter Kyle MP was caught out by the sight.

"The bottom line is.." Peter Kyle MP said to laughter from across the house.</s>A GROUP OF protesters entered the public gallery in the House of Commons in Westminster this evening and stripped semi-naked while MPs debate a series of motions on where Brexit goes next.

The group – calling themselves Extinction Rebellion – said they were doing so to draw attention to climate and ecological issues, and promised further action in the coming weeks.

It said this was the first step in action that will take place before the “International Rebellion beginning on Monday 15 April which is set to shut down central London for days on end”.

In a press release, the group said: “Today 11 activists from Extinction Rebellion stripped off in the House of Commons public gallery in an attempt to draw politicians’ attention to the climate and ecological crisis.

A spokesperson added: “By undressing in parliament, we are putting ourselves in an incredibly vulnerable position, highlighting the vulnerability that all of us share in the face of environmental and societal breakdown.”

In a statement to Sky News, the Met Police said: “We are aware of protesters who have entered the public gallery in the House of Commons. The protesters, five in total are currently in the Strangers gallery.

Police later confirmed that 12 people were arrested.

The MPs in the House below, while debating how the series of indicative votes on the course of Brexit tonight should go, mostly tried their best to ignore the protesters.

Some, however, decided to crack jokes instead.</s>A climate change protester has told BBC Radio 5 Live why he protested semi-naked during a House of Commons debate on Brexit.

Speaking to Emma Barnett, James Dean from Extinction Rebellion defended being part of the biggest Commons security breach since 2014.</s>Have your say

Climate change protesters in their underwear have attempted to disrupt the Commons debate on Brexit.

More than 10 people in the public gallery with messages written on their bodies stood up, including some pressed against the glass which separates the gallery from the chamber.

The protest took place as MPs considered the second stage of the Brexit alternatives.

Speaker John Bercow maintained that the debate would proceed despite the protest.

The dozen or so semi-naked protesters stood in a line with their backsides pressed against the security glass of the public gallery. Most were only wearing knickers or underpants.

On their bodies were written the words “Climate justice act now” and “eco collapse”.

Mr Bercow said: “I ask colleagues to show some respect for the member who has the floor. The Honourable Gentleman has had his motion selected. He’s entitled to be heard.”

It is believed they are part of the Extinction Rebellion protest movement, as several had the group’s logo painted onto their bodies.

Savannah, an English literature student from Ladbroke Grove, was one of the naked protesters.

She said: “A bunch of people glued themselves to the window in the public gallery.

“Everyone stripped and two people were elephants and had climate crisis written on them.

“We were pointing at them as the elephants in the room of the Brexit debate.”

Extinction Rebellion protesters, at least two of whom were dressed in elephant masks and grey body paint, were hauled out of the House of Commons public gallery by police.

The protesters had Extinction Rebellion logos painted on their bodies, while some wore masks and body paint.

Police arrived and began carrying protesters out of the chamber after they appeared to refuse to leave voluntarily.

Anti-abortion supporters accosted Savannah as she stood naked and wrapped only in a coat outside the Chamber.

They said they were upset about the protesting disrupting an important discussion on abortion.

Savannah defended the protest, which she said was “the most important issue facing the world right now”.</s>Just when we thought the ongoing Brexit drama couldn't get any more undignified, a troupe of naked protesters have materialized in the Commons gallery to demand MPs act at once to fight climate change.

Perhaps they haven't read the paper lately, but the Commons has been somewhat preoccupied as of late. And no, this doesn't appear to be some kind of April Fools prank.

Police are reportedly removing the protesters one by one, while those who remain are pressing their bare buttcheeks against the chamber's soundproof glass, with slogans apparently written in marker or body paint spread across their backs.

Speaker Bercow ordered that debate ahead of Monday's second indicative vote proceed normally, as guests in the public gallery were treated to an, um, full-frontal view.

One Brexit reporter who missed the spectacle pointed out a bitter irony.

The Guardian's Jessica Elgot chronicled the incident on her twitter feed as police carried the protesters out of the chamber.</s>Close to a dozen climate change protesters interrupted a debate on Brexit in the House of Commons on Monday evening when they took their clothes off in the public gallery.

READ MORE: ‘Strip Act' in Aid of Brexit by Boris Johnson's Sister on TV Ignites Twitter

Some of the Extinction Rebellion protesters even glued themselves to the window which separated British lawmakers from the people who were observing.

Following the demonstration, the protesters were arrested, the Extinction Rebellion group said in a message on Twitter.
Protesters strip naked in the public galleries of the House of Commons, pressing their buttocks against the window facing Ministers.