WOMEN who slept out overnight in front of the Scottish Parliament to highlight the inequalities of the climate crisis have paid tribute to the protesters who have been murdered for their efforts to protect the planet.
The 24-hour vigil at Holyrood culminated in an event which saw speeches, poetry, and music from women, some of whom had travelled from around the world to be present.
However, Green MSP Maggie Chapman told MSPs that passing men had shouted for the protesters to "get back in the kitchen".
The protest initially focused on two points, why the climate crisis is so intrinsically linked to gender equality, and on the stories of women who were killed for their climate activism.
Women remembered included Maria do Espírito Santo da Silva, who was killed by gunmen in Brazil in 2011 for protesting against deforestation, and Leonela Tapdasan Pesadilla, who was killed in 2017 after protesting against mining in the Philippines.
The story of each murdered woman was ended with the words: “They tried to bury us, they did not realise we were seeds.”
Speaking in the chamber, Chapman recalled some of the murdered women, saying: "Today we remember them all, and we acknowledge all of those whose names we do not know."
Protesters outside Holyrood for the rally organised by the Women's Climate Strike waved placards claiming that 80% of those displaced by climate disasters were women.
They also had one woman dressed all in gold, blindfolded while holding a mock sword and a pair of scales, to represent the “Lady of Justice”.
Some of the women who had slept outside the parliament overnight ahead of the event said it had been cold and uncomfortable, but nothing compared to the struggle women in Ukraine currently faced.
Women chant ‘No more fossil fueled wars’ before the 24-hour climate vigil at Holyrood pauses for a moment of silence for Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/Rj3rccEn8D
— Xander (@xanderescribe) March 8, 2022
After talk turned to the Russian invasion, chants broke out of “no more fossil fueled wars”. Protesters said that fossil fuel cash was funding the war in Ukraine and called for an end.
Poetry collective Women with Fierce Words also spoke at the event, with one member having flown from California.
The rally outside parliament took part as MSPs in the chamber debated International Women’s Day, asking representatives to recognise that “whether deliberate or unconscious, bias makes it difficult for women to move ahead”.
Speaking at the debate, Chapman, who had been present at the rally, said: "Outside this building women have come together for a climate vigil and rally.
"They gathered together because women bear the brunt of the weight of the world's climate inaction.
"While I was talking to the women, two men shouted from their vehicle: 'Get back in the kitchen'."
Chapman then paid tribute to the murdered campaigners who had been remembered by the protesters.
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