Climate change activists staged a major protest outside the Scottish Parliament, using red paint to express their opposition to plans for expanding oil and gas activities in the North Sea. The demonstration was organized by pressure group "This Is Rigged" in response to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's announcement of granting hundreds of new licenses for fossil fuel companies.

During the protest, four eco activists marked the public entrance to Holyrood with red handprints and the message "blood on your hands." The scene was heavily guarded by a large police presence, with protesters seemingly gluing their hands to the ground. The disruption led to the cancellation of public tours and the early closure of the Parliament building.

Amidst the protest, Prime Minister Sunak defended the continued reliance on the oil and gas industry for the UK's energy needs in the coming decades. However, environmentalists have strongly urged a shift towards renewable energy sources, citing the urgency of the climate crisis.

"This Is Rigged" activists criticized the Scottish Government for its "deafening silence" on the matter, demanding that they openly oppose all new oil and gas projects to avoid being seen as complicit in exacerbating climate issues.

The SNP has already supported a move away from oil and gas, and they have opposed new projects like the Rosebank development in the North Sea. Nevertheless, climate campaigners argue that more decisive action is necessary to tackle the extraction of fossil fuels.

First Minister Humza Yousaf expressed concern over the Prime Minister's signal of "unlimited" oil and gas extraction, emphasizing the lack of seriousness in addressing the climate emergency. Climate protesters have been actively targeting the Scottish Parliament, attempting to disrupt proceedings during First Minister's Questions and engaging in sit-down protests.

Following the recent demonstration, the Parliament's spokesperson expressed frustration at the repeated disruptions and inconvenience caused to visitors. Police Scotland confirmed their attendance and monitoring of the situation.b