© Graeme Robertson/The GuardianPeter Cole, 76, and Marko Stepanov, 67, during their hunger strike outside the Conservative party headquarters.
It's lunchtime at the Conservative party headquarters, and people come and go clutching bags of Pret a Manger and Greggs food. Most barely cast a glance at the man stood just outside the gates, 76-year-old Peter Cole, who hasn't eaten in 10 days.
He's one of seven Extinction Rebellion members who have vowed to remain on hunger strike until all political party leaders agree to meet them and pledge support for their climate and ecological emergency bill. Known as the "three demands bill", it would require the future prime minister
to declare a climate emergency, commit to net zero emissions by 2025 and establish a citizens' assembly.
"The first three days are quite hard because of the hunger pangs," says Cole, an emeritus professor of respiratory medicine at Imperial College London. "Now I'm just a little bit slower than normal." He says his main regret about taking part is being unable to keep up his hobby of Argentinian tango dancing.
While the strikers remain upbeat, XR is not downplaying the risks or severity of the action. Trained first aiders, doctors and wellbeing coaches are on hand to support the strikers, who take it it turns to man their protest sites - outside Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat party headquarters - while others rest.
Comment: The above mentioned report from MEMO, 9/11/2019, stated: See also:
Palestinian journalist loses eye after being shot with Israeli rubber bullet at West Bank land seizure protest