Extinction Rebellion Scotland stage 'die-in' protest on Edinburgh's Royal Mile after heatwaves and drought

Extinction Rebellion Scotland have staged a ‘die-in’ protest demanding action on the climate crisis following summer of record-breaking temperatures and droughts.

On Saturday, activists lay on the ground of Edinburgh’s High Street covered in white sheets while a single drum beat was cast.

The ‘bodies’ of protestors were surrounded by placards which recorded their ‘causes of death’ which included heat stress, starvation, and climate conflict.

The action comes in the wake of record-breaking weather events in the UK, including the highest temperatures ever recorded, the declaration of droughts across the country, and flash flooding of urban areas.

The group have criticised the approval of oil and gas field Jackdaw, off the shore of Aberdeen, stating “if the project is allowed to go ahead it will only further entrench the UK’s reliance on fossil fuels at a time when it is crucial that the world moves beyond them”.

One activist, who is also a physicist, Dr Louis Keal, said: “The science has clearly shown for decades that the climate and ecological collapse we’re witnessing is the greatest threat to survival the human race has ever seen.

“Until the public unite and force politicians to find the courage and integrity to stop looking the other way, we’ll carry on making this apocalyptic threat worse and miss our narrow window to save our civilisation.”