XR protest showed political leaders asleep on the Redbrick today

The Southampton Extinction Rebellion (XR) uni group took to the Redbrick in an election inspired protest.

This comes as part of a larger series of protests being held across the UK during the first 12 days of December, in the lead up to the general election.

They want to get people voting for politicians who put climate change as their number one priority.

XR uni group protesting on the Redbrick

The Soton Tab took live coverage of the protest, which you can watch on our Insta story.

As part of the demonstration today there was a bed laid on the floor with flames surrounding it (props to the student who volunteered their actual bed). The flames were suggestive of impending doom.

In the bed, three XR members dressed as the major party leaders Jeremy Corbyn, Boris Johnson and Jo Swinson were 'asleep'.

Night night

Meanwhile others made noise by chanting, hitting pots, and playing the melodica (which was loud af and sounded like a siren) in order to wake them up.

Campus security quickly arrived but were reassured the protest would last only half an hour.

They chanted: "Whose politicians? Our politicians. Whose future? Our future. Whose democracy? Our democracy. Get out and vote."

And shouted repeatedly "Wake up!"

They then threw a bucket of water (sourced from Stag's) over the sleeping party leaders, who woke up, sort of.

Ok Boris is not actually awake

The message of the demonstration was clear – political leaders need to be stirred to action on the climate crisis, as they are currently not doing enough.

One sign read: "Rebel. Rebel. Rebel. Are we the last generation?"

Another read: "Stop ecocide".

Jonah Massey, an XR member at the protest, said: "People of the younger generation need to educate their parents and grandparents on the climate crisis."

Environmental Sciences student and XR member, Romi Lotcheris, said one of their main goals is "for the country to be carbon neutral in five years, so by 2025."

The XR group were also calling for the creation of a citizens assembly to make legislation on the climate crisis.

Currently, the Green Party and Labour promise to reach "net zero" emissions by 2030, while the Lib Dems and the SNP say 2045. The Conservative Party are the least ambitious with 2050 as their target.