WASHINGTON—A group of environmental activists on Tuesday took a novel approach to calling for congressional action on climate change — by supergluing themselves to the walls of a Capitol tunnel.

Some of the protesters were draped in bright yellow police tape, while others were wearing placards reading, “Due to the climate emergency, Congress is shut down until sufficient action is taken to address the crisis.”

A total of about 16 activists had used Gorilla Glue to fasten their hands to the door jambs of a tunnel connecting the Capitol to the House office buildings, according to a participant who declined to give his full name. Another 15 people or so were helping out, he said.

“We’re blocking this doorway because Congress isn’t taking the climate crisis seriously,” one activist told passersby, according to a video of the protest posted online by Extinction Rebellion, the group organizing the demonstration.

U.S. Capitol Police arrested a total of 17 people in the Rayburn and Cannon House Office Buildings, spokeswoman Eva Malecki said. All were charged with “crowding, obstructing, or incommoding;” 15 of the 17 were charged with defacing public property; and eight were charged with resisting arrest.

Members of the group said they are calling for a vote on legislation introduced by Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Earl Blumenauer of Oregon that would declare a climate emergency. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who is running for president, is also a backer of the measure.

In an advertisement for Tuesday night’s protest, the group states that Congress “is not taking this resolution seriously.”

“Instead of moving at emergency speed as the situation demands, they’re dragging their feet. ... And now, we have a team of brave activists who are ready to disrupt Congress like it’s never been disrupted before,” the posting reads.

Extinction Rebellion describes itself as “an international movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience in an attempt to halt mass extinction and minimize the risk of social collapse.” It is based in Britain and has staged similar protests there.

A Washington-based spokeswoman for the group did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

While the protesters attracted attention Tuesday night, they were less than successful in blocking the Capitol passageways. Staffers, reporters, police officers and lawmakers could be seen ducking under the activists’ outstretched arms in order to make their way past them.

“If you respect the climate emergency, you will go around,” one of the superglued protesters can be heard saying in the video, as a steady stream of seemingly unfazed Capitol denizens passes below his arm and through the tunnel.

“I guess not,” another protester replies.

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