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• The 12 Days of Crisis begin tomorrow with groups “Sounding the Alarm” with the Flag of Extinction being raised in towns and cities across the UK
• Extinction Rebellion Theatrics will bring the climate crisis centre stage with Extinction Theatre and Crisis Carollers kicking off their 12 day programme 
• This is part of Extinction Rebellion’s ‘Election Rebellion’ where people around the country will be urging candidates to adopt the Three Demands Bill through non-violent civil disobedience 

Tomorrow will mark the beginning of Extinction Rebellion’s 12 Days of Crisis with people across the UK gearing up to ensure the Climate and Ecological Emergency is at the top of the agenda this General Election. 

The 12 days will begin with Extinction Rebellion groups across the country – Dorchester, Weymouth, Peterborough, Stamford, Taunton, Muswell Hill, Tower Hamlets, Richmond, Dartmoor and more – set to Raise the Flag of Extinction on public buildings, schools, offices, town halls and landmarks.[1] Find out more about the 12 Days of Crisis here.

To get things rolling, Moreton and East Dartmoor groups will be reading the Extinction Rebellion declaration from the iconic rocks on the top of Hay Tor at dawn. In Brighton, the flag will be raised at 1:30pm with an air raid siren followed by a choir, speeches and mass meditation near the Pavilion on New Road before entering the sea to create an XR Logo. London groups in Newham and Tower Hamlets will be holding similar events; with the latter holding a procession from Victoria Park to Liverpool Street at 11am.

Pete McCall, member of Extinction Rebellion Tower Hamlets, says: “We live in a borough that has some of the worst air quality in the country, and locals are suffering the effects on a daily basis. As Tower Hamlets local group, our Raise The Flag action will be happening on a busy, well-known street with high visibility (and high levels of pollution) for maximum impact. We hope to engage the public and put the Climate and Ecological Emergency at the forefront of their minds when considering how to cast their vote.”

In the afternoon, Extinction Rebellion Theatrics will bring the climate crisis centre stage with Extinction Theatre and Crisis Carollers kicking off their 12 day programme. From 2pm on Sunday they’ll be performing on Tottenham Court Road, before marching down to Selfridges on Oxford Street in pollution masks to perform again.

Find out more about the 12 Days Theatre here. These emotional performances will look at how we respond to one another in crisis while travelling around the country.

The 12 Days of Crisis is part of Extinction Rebellion’s ‘Election Rebellion’, where activists around the country will be ramping up the pressure to ensure their candidates sign up to the Three Demands Bill.[2] Though our current democracy is neither truly representative or participatory, this election could be an important step in the journey to achieve our three demands and mitigate the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

Alannah Travers, member of Extinction Rebellion says: “This is the first climate election – and our future depends on it. On Thursday many of us gathered together to watch the first ever leader’s debate dedicated to the climate crisis, following the harrowing news that we may have already crossed a series of climate tipping points.[3] Hunger strikers here in the UK are on their 14th day without food and the EU Parliament declared a climate and environmental emergency this week.[4] The crisis is at the forefront of the public’s mind and it’s time political leaders rise to this enormous challenge.” 

Last week, the Election Rebellion launched a new micro-site (www.electionrebellion.uk) highlighting just how vulnerable all of us are to this crisis. The UN says, “By 2025, 1.8 billion people will live in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity”. As climate-induced instability spreads across borders and continents, we’re only one bad season away from empty supermarket shelves due to an ever increasing cycle of extreme weather from drought to floods that are getting worse.[5]

Notes to Editors

[1] https://www.facebook.com/events/544721469714944/

[2] The Election Rebellion is calling for all UK political parties and Parliamentary Candidates to support the Three Demands Bill, and do all in their power to ensure it becomes law. The Bill calls for the following:

• Tell the truth: Tell the truth by declaring a Climate and Ecological Emergency and do all in their power to communicate the urgency for change, including working with government and other institutions.
• Act Now: Promote policies to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.
• Beyond Party Politics: Help the government create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.

Draft of the Climate and Ecological Emergency (‘Three Demands’) Bill – https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dXZif0DtyUkwUwQvj6XRQbFY_QwwoIUK/view

[3] https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03595-0

[4] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/nov/28/eu-parliament-declares-climate-emergency

[5] https://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/scarcity.shtml

About Extinction Rebellion:

Time has almost entirely run out to address the ecological crisis which is upon us, including the 6th mass species extinction, global pollution, and abrupt, 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 their Government.

Extinction Rebellion’s key demands are:

1. Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change.
2. Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.
3. Government must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.

What Emergency? | Extinction Rebellion in Numbers |This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook.

Get involved:

• In the UK, come to one of our events, join the Rebellion Network and let us know how you can help out.
• Start a group where you are: in the UK or around the world.
• Find your local group.
• Check out the International XR website, with links to the French, German, Italian and UK websites.
• And while your time and energy are of most importance, if you are financially able to donate money, see our Election Rebellion crowdfunder.
• Read more about Election Rebellion https://electionrebellion.uk/

About Rising Up!

Extinction Rebellion emerged from the Rising Up! network, which 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 while the tools of civil disobedience and direct action are used to express our collective power.