Caroline Lucas MP on direct action
Caroline Lucas MP: direct action 鈥渁n indictment of political system鈥�
Direct action taken by environmental campaigners 鈥榮hould be taken as an indictment of the political system that鈥檚 failing all of us鈥�, Westminster鈥檚 only Green MP has told the 大象传媒.
Caroline Lucas, who has said she is standing down at the next General Election after representing the seat of Brighton Pavilion since 2010, was speaking to HARDtalk鈥檚 Stephen Sackur.
Direct action has become a prominent environmental protest tactic in recent years, with groups like Just Stop Oil and Extinction Rebellion blocking roads and stopping transport.
The tactic has proved controversial 鈥� with many people affected by it 鈥� including some who have been unable to get to hospital or funerals.
Ms Lucas said she would not condemn those who use the tactic.
鈥淚 think we have to ask ourselves, what is driving people to take that action,鈥� said Ms Lucas.
鈥淭hey're quite often professionals or they're retired people, the very young people who are absolutely terrified of the future that we're creating.鈥�
However she said she prefers taking direct action at a location with a link to the thing she is trying to stop.
鈥淲hen I took action against fracking, I was outside a site in Balcombe in in Sussex, where they were going to try to open up a fracking site.鈥�
鈥淚 personally find it easier to make that link to explain to the public so people understand why you're there than perhaps I would gluing myself to a motorway.鈥�
