Environmental protesters set a papier-mâché planet ablaze in Phillips Square on Saturday to protest “government inaction” on climate change. The planet burst into flames when it came into contact with the fire.
Protesters used a lighter and an accelerating liquid to set fire to a papier-mâché planet placed on a metal trash can at the foot of the statue of King Edward VII in downtown Montreal. Upon contact with the fire, the globe exploded with a loud bang.
“We wanted to make a little splash to show how bad things are: last summer, 5% of the boreal forest in Canada burned,” a protester told the observers of the demonstration.
Behind her, a handful of other protesters were busy putting out the flames with fire extinguishers.
PHOTO JOSIE DESMARAIS, THE PRESS
The action, carried out by the Ashes in the Street coalition, aimed to “sound the alarm in response to the increasingly devastating wildfires fueled by the climate crisis.”
In front of the demonstration, on a large banner spread on the ground, one could read the words “We are on fire for real!” written in red and black.
A few minutes after the protest began, firefighters arrived on the scene to extinguish the remaining small flames. The protesters had then left the scene.
The action, carried out by the Ashes to the Street coalition, was intended to “sound the alarm in response to increasingly devastating wildfires fueled by the climate crisis,” according to a press release issued by the group.
In its statement, the coalition said security measures had been put in place by the organizers of the demonstration.