A GROUP of environmental activists staged a mass “die-in” to raise awareness of climate change.

About 80 members of Extinction Rebellion Brighton lay on the floor in Churchill Shopping Centre, Brighton, for 11 minutes.

It said this was to represent the 11 years humanity has left to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees.

The group held a series of signs with messages printed on them, including “humanity has wiped out 60 per cent of mammals since 1970” and “climate change is happening faster than scientists have predicted”.

The Argus:

The group were surrounded by singers from the group’s choir who sang throughout the event.

They performed songs such as Emergency by Blythe Pepino, which includes the lyrics: "This is an emergency. The waters are all climbing and so we have to rise up now, or we will soon be drowning."

A large crowd gathered to watch the protest and applauded when the “die-in” participants stood up at the end of the protest.

Shouts of “climate justice now” could also be heard.

The Argus:

Extinction Rebellion Brighton describes itself as “a global movement tackling a global problem with people power”.

A spokesman said: “We believe in non-violent direct action in order to raise the issue of imminent climate breakdown to the top of agenda for every government on the planet.”