9am today, London: Extinction Rebellion Cofounder Faces Prison the Day Before Rebellion Day
November 16, 2018 by Extinction Rebellion
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From 9am today in London, Extinction Rebellion cofounder Roger Hallam will be at Southwark Crown Court in preparation for his case at 10am, where he faces a possible prison sentence for spray chalking the central hall of King’s College London last year. Roger was charged with ‘criminal damage without lawful excuse’, since then he has been arrested 10 times for civil disobedience actions.
Roger invites people to come support him and his co-defendant David Durant at Court (English Grounds London SE1 2HU).
Hunger strike campaign win for divestment from fossil fuels
Along with eight other students, Roger covered the central hall with messages calling for the total divestment from fossil fuel companies. He then went on a 14-day hunger strike which led to the College doing a total U-turn on its policy and agreeing fully to the demand for divestment.
This case has been called as Extinction Rebellion protestors gear up to block five London bridges – Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster, Lambeth, Southwark – tomorrow on Rebellion Day (Saturday 17th November), as part of its nonviolent uprising against the British government for its criminal inaction on the climate and ecological emergency.
“King’s College are to be commended that they saw the light and divested from fossil fuels. However, the justice system is laughable in this case,” said Roger. “Six months in prison for spray chalking – even if it had been a lot of chalk, it couldn’t cause permanent damage. Secondly the timing is interesting, one day before Rebellion Day. The Crown Court has had since the 5th of November to call me up.
“Lastly, King’s College isn’t even pressing charges, it is the CPS. Meanwhile politicians, corporations and extractive industries are above the law when it comes to destroying our planet.”
Roger will be making it clear to the jury that we are in a climate and ecological emergency and that this fully necessitates nonviolent direct action to save the nation and the world from imminent catastrophe. Regardless of the outcome of Roger’s case today, thousands will be breaking the law in order tomorrow on Rebellion Day to highlight the climate catastrophe which awaits our children.
10am Saturday 17th November – Southwark, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth Bridges to be blocked in London
Rebellion Day will be the climax of the first week of civil disobedience. Here’s what to do:
- Choose a bridge and be there for 10am. Come as yourself. Do NOT meet in Parliament Square.
- Please bring: a packed lunch/food to share; enough water; warm / windproof clothes; a homemade sign; an umbrella (decorated with the Extinction symbol!); something to sit on; your smile and passion!
- Wander innocently up and down the bridge on the pedestrian walkways. Take selfies, admire the view. Don’t congregate in large groups. Wait for the signal
- Stewards in sashes will signal when to move out and take the road. Listen for instructions to sit down. Participate in whatever unfolds
- People are expected to occupy the five separate bridges, share food, bear witness to why they have come together and participate in a sit-in protest that will bring central London to a standstill
- Performers, musicians, and artists will be leading the action and people from all across the country will be arriving in coaches throughout the day
- From around 2pm in Parliament Square, an Extinction Assembly will feature six voices from six nations affected by climate breakdown: West Papua, Bangladesh, Ecuador, Kenya, Ghana and Mongolia
- The invited guests will bear witness to what is happening in their countries and then there will be any opportunity for members of the public to speak about why they themselves are there
- The third part of the assembly will ask attendees ‘How do you think societies should be organised to create a world for our children?’
- At 4pm, there will be a closing interfaith and non-faith ceremony at Parliament Square.
Extinction Rebellion said: “Rebellion Day will disrupt London. It is not a step we take lightly. It is a step we take to bring to light the criminal inaction of successive Governments in their failure to respond to the climate and ecological emergency.
Extinction Rebellion demands that the UK government immediately declares a climate and ecological emergency; reduces to zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2025, and creates a citizen’s assembly to oversee these changes.
“We feel deeply that if we come together as ordinary people and communities in the limited time we have available to affect change, we can face this crisis together. The first step is to ensure people are fully informed of the extreme gravity of the situation.”
“We have informed the police and emergency services that these 5 bridges will be road-blocked: Southwark, Blackfriars, Waterloo, Westminster and Lambeth.”
NOTES:
- About Extinction Rebellion
Time has almost entirely run out to address the ecological crisis which is upon us, including the 6th mass species extinction 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 its Government.
- Extinction Rebellion’s topline demands:
- The Government must admit the truth about the ecological emergency, reverse all policies inconsistent with addressing climate change, 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 must be created, to oversee the changes, as part of creating a democracy fit for purpose.
Website: https://rebellion.
Declaration of Rebellion: https://rebellion.
- All details of Extinction Rebellion public events can be viewed here:
https://rebellion.earth/
- 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.