An environmental protester scaled the facade of Washington D.C.’s John A. Wilson District Building on Friday to commemorate Earth Day by unfurling a large banner calling for the end of fossil fuels.
"No new fossil fuels," said the banner which was displayed outside the building that houses the office of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and the D.C. council.
The environmentalist group Extinction Rebellion claimed responsibility for the protest on Twitter.
"Earth is in crisis," the group tweeted. "Fossil fuels are choking humanity. To avoid climate hell we have to stop building new fossil fuel infrastructure – NOW. But @WashingtonGas plans to spend $5bn on new fossil fuel pipes. And @councilofdc is letting them get away with it.
The group added in a press release that the protester, Erica Madrid, was arrested.
"D.C. residents with Extinction Rebellion blockaded the entrance to city hall with a huge banner on Earth Day, kicking off a sustained campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience to demand an end to all new fossil fuel infrastructure in the nation’s capital. Police arrested Erica Madrid, who climbed the building to unfurl the banner," the press release stated.
Washington D.C. Metro Police confirmed to Fox News that they responded to the 1300 block of Pennsylvania Avenue around 7:24 am on Friday in response to calls that an individual had scaled the building and made an arrest.
"D.C. Fire and Emergency Medical Services assisted the individual from the top of the building and the individual was then placed under arrest," police said in a statement. ""The arrest was made by DGS Protective Service Division. This incident is currently under active investigation."