XR Boston Activists Dressed as Sloths ARRESTED at State House

On Monday April 27, activists took a humorous and disruptive approach to protest the emergency climate bill at the Massachusetts State House, widely regarded by environmentalists as a “climate rollback bill.” Dressed in sloth costumes, protestors with Extinction Rebellion Boston (XR Boston) risked arrest as they disrupted proceedings while the State House of Representatives met in the House of Representatives chamber. Outside the House chamber, two protestors also dressed as a sloths mimicked sloth behavior by using harnesses and ropes to lower themselves and hang 10 feet off the ground. These activists unfurled large banners that read, “Even Sloths Would Act Faster On Climate Disaster” and “MA Gov't: Don't Be Sloths on Climate Action!” Three activists were arrested on the scene, including both "sloths" who hung from ropes in Nurses Hall.

Meanwhile inside the House of Representatives Chamber, Julia H., one of the costumed sloths, spoke to the assembled House members: “We sloths spend 90% of our time upside-down, and you spend 90% of your time flipping climate progress upside-down.” [Editor note: the full speech is appended below.]

"We're dressed as sloths today to demonstrate how slowly the Massachusetts government is moving on the escalating climate crisis. Even sloths move faster," said Josh, one activist who was arrested while dressed as a sloth at the protest.

XR Boston is the flagship Massachusetts chapter of the international climate justice movement Extinction Rebellion, which uses non-violent civil disobedience to pressure governments and corporations to take immediate action on the climate crisis. XR Boston made international news in April 2024 for disrupting flights at Hanscom Field in Bedford to protest a massive proposed expansion in private jet infrastructure to benefit the ultra-wealthy. The group is also a regular presence at the Massachusetts State House, having facilitated a Stand Out for No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure outside the Hooker Entrance between 2 and 5 days a week since June 2023.

The Massachusetts Senate is on track to take up a bill already passed by the House that would cut $1 billion of funding for the Mass Save program, and does not include demands by XR Boston to target a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to 90% of 1990 levels by 2030 and ban new fossil fuel infrastructure, such as expanding gas pipelines.

Buildings are responsible for 35% of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, Mass Save is already under-funded even though it is vital to making progress towards the state’s carbon-reduction goals for buildings. Meanwhile in the last year, Eversource doubled its profits to $1.6 billion. Its CEO had a total compensation of $13.6 million in 2024.

“A big reason our government is targeting the Mass Save program is that it’s funded by consumers, not by the utilities or the state. When rates go up, the government makes it worse by cutting one of the only programs that is proven to save more in energy efficiency than it costs to fund. So we are in this climate emergency because of companies like Eversource and National Grid,” said an XR Boston activist named May who participated in the protest at the State House. “And rather than force them to reduce their profits and help pay for the damage they’ve caused, our state government keeps letting them off the hook,” she added.

The activists also called for the state to stop building new fossil fuel infrastructure, noting that if the state is to hit its future climate targets, we must stop increasing gas use immediately and significantly accelerate the transition to fossil free alternatives. XR Boston has demanded “No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure” since early 2022.

“In 2026, gas companies plan to spend more than $800 million, even after regulators lowered the cap on allowable spending. And over the last decade, utilities have spent about $6.2 billion in the state to expand their infrastructure,” said Peter Watson, a longtime member of XR Boston’s State House Stand Out for No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. “It’s a classic boondoggle given the fact that there are cleaner and cheaper ways to produce energy. Fossil fuel companies and their outrageously overpaid executives are the sole beneficiaries. We have to find a way to stop this,” he said.

One of Extinction Rebellion’s main demand for government is to “tell the truth,” that it is failing to reach its climate goals — and even those goals are inadequate. “We want our state government to tell the truth, that the plan they have is inadequate. We won’t even reach the goals they have set, and those goals themselves are not good enough,” said XR Boston protestor Sam B. “We should be aiming for 90% emissions reduction by 2030 if we want a real chance of keeping global temperature change below catastrophic levels,” she said.

XR Boston is a chapter of Extinction Rebellion, a strictly non-violent international movement, whose overall ambition is an international rebellion that helps humanity to turn quickly onto a course that is compatible with life on earth, and to build resilient communities in the face of ecological and societal crisis. Several U.S. chapters of XR, including Boston, have been in the news this year as members have received visits from the FBI, seemingly as part of President Trump’s crackdown on climate activists. While XR Boston is doing what it can to protect its members, it also condemns this blatant violation of activists’ rights and refuses to stop holding the government, state and federal, accountable for its roles in the climate crisis.

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[Editor note: what follows are the speech and chants that the costumed sloths prepared for the House.]

Sloth Statement

Hello Massachusetts State legislature! We are sloths from South America. We climbed all the way here because we're thrilled to see that our species, sloths, have taken over the Massachusetts statehouse! You all have figured out how to move sooooooo slooooooowly on the climate crisis, you're actually going backwards! Your movement is so glacial, we're not worthy!

We sloths spend 90% of our time upside-down, and you spend 90% of your time flipping climate progress upside-down! Geniuses!

Once a week, we brave a trip to the forest floor to take a dangerous dump, and once every few years, you brave a trip to the legislative floor to dump out a dangerous bill! Iconic!

In a fast-paced world, you all ask: how can we slow progress down? Why ban new fossil fuels, or invest in more energy efficiency through Mass Save, or build solar and geothermal projects at speed and scale? Slow it down! Cut those programs! Lets see how looooooong we can make emissions rise!

We're here to ask to join the legislature, as we clearly have a lot to learn from you! Just imagine,

Chants

When planet Earth is under attack, what do we do?

Backslide, backtrack!

What do we want?

Climate Justice!

When do we want it?

A looooooong time from now!

Hey hey! Ho ho!

We want climate action slow!

Even sloths can pass a stool

Faster than Mass bans fossil fuels!

Walk don't run while the planet burns

All that matters is utilities earn!

You could act faster but why try?

Backtrack climate til we die!

1,2,3,4

Sloths invade the Senate floor

5,6,7,8

Your climate work is way too late

You move so slow we must confess

All the sloths are so impressed!

Even when the public does protest

You refuse to make progress

From fossil fuels you could divest

But take your time! And just regress

All respect goes out to you

Your climate plan is pure doo-doo

Cutting Mass Save even though you knew

Our climate targets we'd run right through

———————————————————

Songs

Tune: Stop! In the Name of Love by the Supremes

Stop! Climate proooogreeeeess

There is no need to stress

Stop! Climate proooogreeeeess

Don't want to see success

Call it over

Call it over

Tune: The Sign by Ace of Base

Ignore all the signs!

Don't open up your eyes, ignore the signs!

Gas is expanding, no need to be planning

Ignore all the signs!

Don't open up your eyes, ignore the signs!

There's no need to pass a bill, to get on a path where we belong

Tune: Vienna by Billy Joel

Slow down, you crazy child

Don't be ambitious just be super mild

Miss your climate goals

Even if people are so afraid

Where's the fire what's the hurry about?

You better slow it down and just cut it out

You've got nothing to do

And only so many hours in a day, hey hey

But you know that when the truth is told

Massachusetts will be called anything but bold

You're gonna GIVE UP before you even get halfway through, oh

When will you realize, the planet waits for you