Activists from Just Stop Oil painted inscriptions on the tomb of famous naturalist Charles Darwin in Westminster Abbey, London, on Monday to denounce political inaction on global warming.
In a video posted online by the group on international Paris climate agreement.
On Friday, the European Copernicus Observatory reported that the average temperature over the past two years had exceeded 1.5°C.
This action aims to demand “that the British government work with other countries to end the extraction and use of fossil fuels by 2030,” Just Stop Oil said in a statement.
“Darwin would roll over in his grave if he knew we were in the middle of a sixth mass extinction,” said one of the two demonstrators, Alyson Lee, 66, in the video posted online by the group, known for his shocking actions to denounce the exploitation of hydrocarbons.
Police said they had arrested two women on suspicion of causing damage “with what appears to be powder paint at Westminster Abbey”.
In the past, the group has particularly targeted places of culture, such as the National Gallery where activists doused Vincent Van Gogh’s “Sunflowers” with soup, as well as high-profile sporting events, such as the Formula 1 grand prix in Silverstone or the Wimbledon tournament.
Several of its activists were sentenced to prison terms after taking part in such operations.
