Activist Glues Himself To Prime Minister

By Raphael G Satter

A CLIMATE change activist assured himself a captive audience - by gluing himself to the prime minister of Britain.

Dan Glass, 24, grasped the sleeve of Gordon Brown's suit with a glue-covered hand at an awards ceremony last month, according to Plane Stupid, a group known primarily for its attention-grabbing stunts and fierce opposition to the expansion of Heathrow Airport. Brown's spokesman confirmed the incident.

Glass had been invited to receive an award for his campaigning activities from the Sheila McKechnie Foundation, a social justice group.

He smuggled glue into Brown's official Downing Street residence in pouches attached to his underwear and slathered it on his hand as the prime minister gave a speech.

Glass clamped his hand onto Brown's suit during the reception and began lecturing him about climate change. An audio clip posted to the Plane Stupid Web site carries the sound of Glass warning the prime minister he is being taken captive.

"I've just glued myself to the buttons of the prime minister, but do not worry. It's a nonviolent protest," he says, as Brown is heard laughing. "But if you do pull your sleeve away it will really hurt me so please don't.

"This is just to say that: We cannot shake away climate change just like you cannot shake away my arm."

Brown shook Glass off rather easily, according to a Downing Street spokesman. "The glue wasn't that sticky," the spokesman said while speaking on condition of anonymity in line with office policy. He added that the incident was "all very lighthearted" and that Glass had not been punished.