Activists in fire truck try spraying red dye on UK treasury building to protest climate change. It doesn't go so well.

You know the old saying: "Let the buyer beware" — i.e., caveat emptor.

Apparently some climate activists never took Latin.

You see, the good folks at Extinction Rebellion had it in mind to spray water colored with red food dye upon the British finance ministry building Thursday to drum up attention concerning what they said was the government's failure to stave off climate change, Reuters reported.

So they drove up to the British Treasury in a fire engine, grabbed a hose, and took aim.

Getcha popcorn ready

Keep in mind the outlet said Extinction Rebellion purchased the fire truck on eBay.

For a few seconds things appear to go as planned. The hose seems in fine working condition as the liquid starts hitting the building:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Then — boom:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

A malfunction, putting it gently, apparently befalls the group as the hose appears to explode in the faces of the gents aiming it at the treasury.

And soon the hose is spraying red dye everywhere — except upon the building's outside wall:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

A couple of intrepid folks try to get things under control — but to no avail:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

The hose of the eBay-purchased fire engine is just too powerful — and soon the street is drenched:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Oh, and did we fail to mention there's video?

Yes, indeed, there is. Check it out:

Extinction Rebellion spray 'fake blood' at the Treasury from fire enginewww.youtube.com

What happened afterward?

Reuters said activists stood atop the fire engine sporting a banner which read, “Stop funding climate death."

Image source: YouTube screenshot

One activist was seen spray painting the same slogan on the walls of the building — albeit employing a much more controllable method:

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Extinction Rebellion added to the outlet that they sprayed 1,800 liters of fake blood at the Treasury — although "at" may be stretching it a tad, prepositionally speaking.

“The Treasury has been frustrating efforts by other government departments to take action against climate change because it cares only about economic growth," one activist who called himself Ben told Reuters. “It doesn't see that eternal economic growth leads to climate death. The red symbolizes the people dying now in the global south and also the people who are going to start dying from climate change all around the world if we do nothing."

Image source: YouTube screenshot

Police told the outlet they arrested four people on suspicion of criminal damage and that some roads had been closed. Reuters also said police weren't sure what to do with the fire engine as the driver removed the keys.

It wasn't clear if Extinction Rebellion will ask eBay for a refund.

Stop funding climate death' - activists soak UK Treasury in red paintyoutu.be

This story has been updated to reflect Reuters' update that activists sprayed water colored with red food dye at the building, not red paint.