Climate Change Protesters In Boston Call For Action At State House, 27 Arrested

BOSTON (CBS) -- A group of several hundred protesters marched in Boston Friday morning calling for action on climate change. The group started in Copley Plaza and arrived at the State House around noon.

They pressed lawmakers to push forward on a number of bills, including the Massachusetts Green New Deal.

Some protesters camped out inside the State House, but most stayed outside, according to Massachusetts State Police.

By 6 p.m., 27 protesters were arrested and charged with trespassing in a state building after they refused to leave as the building closed to the public, police said. They said the arrest was peaceful and all demonstrators are expected to be released on $40 bail clerk fee.

Senator Ed Markey joined the protesters at the State House.

"The world is meeting in Madrid telling everyone that there's a climate crisis," he said. "And what is happening here in Boston in a part of the revolution. It's a young people's revolution saying 'solve this problem.'"

Markey said it's important for lawmakers to listen to the "army of activists" leading the movement and take action on climate change.

"Massachusetts has to be the leader," he said.

At 5 p.m., protesters inside the State House could be heard singing. Most were part of the Sunrise Movement that protested at the State House and around the world last summer.

"The number one thing we can do is clean the electric grid up. Get coal, get natural gas off the electric grid," one protester said. "If we switch to electric cars without cleaning the grid, it doesn't do us any good."

Many protesters spoke about eliminated fossil fuels, the use of which cause greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere.

"Stop using fossil fuels. Phase them out as fast as possible. Just get rid of them," another protester said.