Tomorrow – Extinction Rebellion plans ‘swarming roadblocks’ demanding urgent action on climate change

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• The campaign of civil disobedience by Extinction Rebellion continues this week with ‘swarming roadblocks’ planned between 21st -23rd November in central London

• The movement is demanding urgent action from the Government on the climate and ecological emergency.

From Wednesday to Friday this week (21st – 23rd November), hundreds of Extinction Rebellion protestors will be coordinating peaceful non-violent ‘swarming roadblocks’ in Central London. The ‘swarms’ will start at 7am in Parliament Square each day and aim to cause gridlock across the capital. [1]

This is part of an escalating international effort to draw attention to the ecological and climate emergency. A recent IPCC report warned that we have 12 years – at the most – to prevent climate catastrophe. The authors of the report said ‘unprecedented’ action was needed to reach a target of 1.5 C warming. [2]

The Metropolitan Police have been informed.

“First and foremost, we want to sincerely apologise for any disruption caused to members of the public,” said Robin Boardman of Extinction Rebellion.

“Londoners we have a problem – the Government is not protecting the lives of future generations of Brits to come, due to its criminal inaction in the face of climate breakdown. This emergency deserves an emergency response.”

“Therefore we tell the Government to be prepared for swarms of concerned citizens, who are willing to be arrested, converging throughout the day in central London. Only through daily economic disruption and stopping business as usual, will the Government be made to listen. We have informed the police and will of course allow all emergency vehicles to pass.”

The swarming planned by Extinction Rebellion is a powerful reminder that, as a result of humankind’s failure to adequately protect the world’s ecosystem, populations of bees have been wiped out. Society depends on insects to pollinate crops, they are an integral thread in the fabric of life.

Dr Laila Kassam of Extinction Rebellion commented: “Without insects – and with increasingly extreme weather events, such as this summer’s drought, chaos is fast becoming the norm. We’re now looking down the barrel of food scarcity and major problems for humans and all species.

“Extinction Rebellion is therefore peacefully ‘swarming’ to raise awareness of the magnitude of the problem we face. We’ll stop when the government agrees to come clean to the public about the scale of the crisis we’re facing, to completely decarbonise our economy, and to the creation of a national Citizen’s Assembly. Until then, the rebellion continues.”

The planned action follows on from a day of rebellion in Central London on Saturday 17th November, where an estimated six thousand citizens blocked five major bridges to voice grief and concern about the crisis – and to demand urgent action from the Government. [3]

The key demands are [4]:

• The Government must tell the truth about the ecological emergency, reverse inconsistent policies and work alongside the media to communicate with citizens
• The Government must enact legally binding policy measures to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025 and to reduce consumption levels
• A national Citizen’s Assembly to oversee the changes, as part of creating a democracy fit for purpose.

Notes

1. https://www.facebook.com/events/2196665013947690/
2. NEW – The Extinction Rebellion Climate Factsheet for Rebels https://rebellion.earth/the-climate-factsheet-for-rebels/
3. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/oct/08/global-warming-must-not-exceed-15c-warns-landmark-un-report
4. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/nov/17/thousands-gather-to-block-london-bridges-in-climate-rebellion
5. https://rebellion.earth/demands/

About Extinction Rebellion.

Website: https://risingup.org.uk/XR/;

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ExtinctionRebellion/;

Declaration of Rebellion facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1588038141300204/;  

Rebellion Swarming facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/2196665013947690/; Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExtinctionR; Hashtag: #ExtinctionRebellion

The Extinction Rebellion (XR) was declared at Parliament on October 31st 2018. Time has almost entirely run out to address the ecological crisis which is upon us, including the 6th mass species extinction and abrupt and runaway climate change. Societal collapse and mass death are seen as inevitable by scientists and other credible voices, with human extinction also a possibility, if rapid action is not taken.

Extinction Rebellion believes it is a citizen’s duty to rebel using peaceful civil disobedience when faced with criminal inactivity by its Government. The Rebellion centres on demands for Government to tell the truth about our dire situation and to act accordingly, including to decarbonise our economy by 2025, in a mobilisation of war time like proportion. A Citizens Assembly will oversee the transition to a world which would be far more beautiful, less frenetic and with meaningful work for all.

About RisingUp!

The RisingUp network promotes a fundamental change of our political and economic system to one which maximises well-being and minimises harm. Change needs to be nurtured in a culture of reverence, gratitude and inclusion; whilst the tools of civil disobedience and direct action are used to express our collective power.

Website http://www.risingup.org.uk/;

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RisingUpUK/;

Twitter https://twitter.com/RisingUpUK