A member of the Extinction Rebellion climate change protest group has been arrested after climbing onto the roof of the Scottish Parliament.
The lone demonstrator unfurled a banner reading “Climate Assembly, be bold” on Thursday morning.
The group are calling for a more radical approach from Scotland’s Climate Assembly, a body created as part of the 2019 Climate Change Act.
Extinction Rebellion said they were part of the assembly’s stewarding group but pulled out because they “felt that those with an interest in maintaining the status quo were frightened of rocking the boat”.
The protester descended from the roof later and was arrested by police officers waiting at the parliament’s entrance.
READ MORE: Ministers 'disappointment' as Extinction Rebellion confirm boycott of Scots Climate Assembly
The group said they want more evidence to be presented and for members to be allowed to "decide the level of transformation required".
The protest began at 8am
Justin Kenrick, one of the former members of the Stewarding Group, said: “There was never any evaluation of the seriousness of the climate emergency.
"There was a lot of focus on being fair to different sectors in Scotland but not fairness to those elsewhere in the world suffering now or to future generations. To be fair in that fundamental way you have to first assess how serious the emergency is, and the assembly never collectively had the opportunity to do that.”
READ MORE: Air Pollution — Extinction Rebellion Scotland call to action
Extinction Rebellion member Kate Dyer added: “This is the moment where we actually have a real chance of circumventing the status quo of traditional politics which is only committed to not rocking the boat.
"The citizens sitting in this assembly have a chance to respond to the root causes of this emergency and turn the ship around. We are asking assembly members to be bold.”
A spokesman for the Citizens' Climate Assembly said: "Scotland’s Climate Assembly has deliberated on a broad range of robust and complex evidence over the past several months.
"This evidence gave a clear picture of the severity of the climate emergency. Our members – more than 100 people from all walks of life across Scotland -- are now working hard to agree their recommendations for how the country should tackle the climate emergency in an effective and fair way.
"Of course we welcome a lively public debate on these vital issues. The Assembly operates independently, following a rigorous process based on international best practices for participatory democracy, and it is for members alone to decide their recommendations."
He added: "The Assembly benefited from input from Extinction Rebellion early on in the process as members of our stewarding group and it was disappointing when they chose not to continue with this role."
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