Protestors Damage Magna Carta Case in Demand for Climate Action
Two elderly Just Stop Oil protestors have damaged the protective case around the Magna Carta in a symbolic protest against the government’s inaction on climate change. Reverend Dr Sue Parfitt, 82, and Judy Bruce, 85, entered the British Library in London and vandalized the enclosure, demanding that the UK commit to phasing out fossil fuels by 2030.
The pair glued their hands together and held a sign that read “The government is breaking the law,” while also chanting “Is the government above the law?” Their protest comes after a High Court ruling criticized the government’s lack of plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, highlighting the urgency of addressing the climate crisis.
Parfitt, an 82-year-old retired minister, emphasized the importance of the Magna Carta as a symbol of freedom and the rule of law. However, she stressed that these principles are meaningless without addressing the catastrophic threat posed by climate change. “We must get things in proportion,” she said. “The abundance of life on earth, the climate stability that allows civilization to continue is what must be revered and protected above all else, even above our most precious artefacts.”
Bruce, an 85-year-old retired biology teacher, referred to the findings of 400 respected scientists who contributed to IPCC reports, warning that the world is “woefully unprepared” for the consequences of global warming exceeding 2.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. “Instead of acting, our dysfunctional government is like the three monkeys: ‘see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing- pretend we’ve got 25 years’… We haven’t! We must get off our addiction to oil and gas by 2030 – starting now,” she declared.
The British Library confirmed that the Magna Carta itself remains undamaged, despite the “minimal” damage to the protective case. The incident has sparked a debate about the balance between protecting historical artifacts and using symbolic protests to raise awareness about pressing issues such as climate change.
Both Parfitt and Bruce have a history of participating in climate protests and have been arrested in the past. Their actions serve as a reminder of the growing frustration and desperation among climate activists who believe that governments are failing to take sufficient action to address the crisis.
