Silent protest outside council meeting
A group of residents staged a silent protest outside a meeting of Shropshire Council to defend their right to raise awareness about the climate emergency.
The 15 protesters stood outside the meeting at Shrewsbury College holding placards with their mouths duct-taped shut after they say a number of councillors told them in January that they shouldn’t be protesting.
Gill Davies, from Much Wenlock, one of those present, said: "Various groups from across Shropshire have peacefully protested outside the last two Shropshire Council meetings in order to raise awareness about the ongoing climate emergency and the council’s lack of response to it.
"While councillors from Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens stopped and chatted to us and even took selfies with us at these events, a small group of Conservative councillors told us we shouldn't be protesting and tried to silence us."
A public question was also submitted to the meeting asking council leader Lezley Picton if she condoned her councillors’ decision to verbally abuse residents and if she agreed with those councillors who had questioned the right to protest and climate change.
Councillor Picton told council she believed in the right to protest and also in climate change.
Ms Davies said that as Shropshire suffered yet more devastating flooding, ordinary people would not be silent about climate crisis.
"It’s the biggest threat we face.," she said.
