VANCOUVER - Climate activists blocked the main doors to the Victoria Conference Centre Sunday morning, hoping to stop - or at least, delay - more than 800 BC NDP members returning from their lunch breaks to attend the party's 2019 convention inside.
Activists from Extinction Rebellion Vancouver Island sat in front of the doors singing Christmas carols with modified lyrics about the climate crisis.
Those looking to get into the building were still able to use side doors, but the protesters said they hoped their presence would force the provincial NDP to think harder about - and speak more about - the impact of its policies on the climate.
"By being disruptive, what you do is you actually create dialogue," said protester Regine Klein, adding that the NDP should be forced to explain and defend its support for liquefied natural gas development in the province.
Extinction Rebellion described its actions on Sunday as "an escalation" of the group's efforts to compel governments to do more to address climate change. It also described its action as "arrestable."
"We're not seeking to be arrested," said organizer Howard Breen. "It would be at their discretion. What we hope to do is, by being somewhat disruptive - non-violently, peacefully - we are bringing attention that would otherwise not be attainable."
"Emissions in B.C. are going up and our country is one of three in the G20 that is still failing to meet the Paris Accord targets," Breen said.
