Climate protester tries to glue himself to Brown

LONDON (AFP) - A climate change protester unsuccessfully tried to superglue himself to Prime Minister Gordon Brown at an event in the leader's residence, a government spokesman said Tuesday.

Dan Glass, a 24-year-old member of Plane Stupid, which campaigns against airport expansion, tried to attach himself to Brown's suit as he was about to shake hands with the premier at his Downing Street residence.

Glass, who had been invited to the event held to recognise the British voluntary sector, asked Brown why the government was ignoring public objections to the construction of a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport.

Brown can be heard laughing as Glass began his demonstration, in an audio recording of the protest.

Glass assured the prime minister he was carrying out a "non-violent protest" and told Brown that "we cannot shake away climate change like you can just shake away my arm."

"We can beat climate change, but this is not going to happen by planning the world's largest international airport at Heathrow," he added.

"As far as we are concerned, nothing really happened," a Downing Street spokesman said.

"There was a light-hearted and not particularly successful demonstration at a reception that was being hosted at Downing Street."

A Scotland Yard spokesman said no police action was taken against anyone related to the attempted protest.

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