LOCKED-UP FOR PROTECTING OUR FUTURE

• During the week of peaceful protest in the capital, 1065 people were arrested. Seven of this number were from Extinction Rebellion Sheffield.

• Extinction Rebellion have brought major disruption to London and occupied key sites in an effort to force action on the climate and ecological crisis.

• Extinction Rebellion Sheffield activists protested outside BPs headquarters, held roadblocks in Parliament Square and supported other activists in the group’s most major protest yet.

This week activists from Extinction Rebellion Sheffield engaged in a major protest that saw more arrests than the poll tax riots and, unlike the riots, was entirely peaceful. This movement was in favour of a sustainable world free from the impending threat of climate breakdown and full of new possibilities. In an attempt to bring a taster of this pollution free world to the streets of London some of the major roads were blocked, the sound of birdsong rang out from the doorstep of BP’s headquarters and speeches proposing solutions to the climate crisis were made.

All levels of government from Sheffield City Council to national government have been inactive on this issue for too long. They have engaged in destructive practices ranging from tree-felling and road-widening to fracking and “current, very creative, carbon accounting” (Great Thunberg, 2019). This has left the planet in a state of emergency. We are living through the world’s sixth mass species extinction (Gerardo Ceballos, Paul R. Ehrlich, and Rodolfo Dirzo, 2017) and face the loss of many well loved species.

We observe wildfires across local, well-loved moorland. The frequency of these fires is only likely to increase with rising global temperatures (Steven W. Running, 2006). Extinction Rebellion Sheffield activist are willing to face arrest on charges of obstructing the highway in order to demand that we tackle the climate crisis now to ensure an inhabitable world in the future.

Fortunately, we have now seen some positive response from those in power. Michael Gove has agree to meet us and Labour has given us their backing. Unfortunately, meetings and talks will not solve the crisis. This can only be done through action.

Extinction Rebellion Sheffield invites all those interested in ensuring action is taken to join us in planning future disruptive and collaborative non-violent direct action on the streets of Sheffield. We have a fundraising gig at DINA Venue this Friday where there will be vegan food, live music and DJs and our meetings are every monday evening at Union St. Cafe. We hope to see you there.

Left Hand Photo: Left to Right; Eve Merral, Louis Brijmohun, Lottie Hopkins

Quotes:

Eve Merral, on being arrested::

I’m a zoology student at sheffield, and I joined Extinction Rebellion because the natural world and everyone I love is threatened by climate change. I believe that I have a responsibility to use my privilege to do everything in my power to fight it"

Louis Brijmohun, on being arrested:

It’s all very surreal. I’m just an ordinary guy who happened to do some reading about climate change, and within a few months I’ve gone from being vaguely aware that it’s “one of those important problems”, to spending a night in a cell and feeling like I wasn’t doing enough. Since my arrest, I’ve now been referred to as “a climate activist” but I’m not sure I agree. A woman who jumps into a pool to save a drowning child doesn’t suddenly become a lifeguard; people react in ways proportionate to the situations they understand themselves to be in: you just do what needs to be done. Now that I’ve actually read the science for myself, I feel like I’ve just seen a child fall into the pool, except that child is all life on earth as we know it, and now no reaction seems inappropriate. I’d do anything to save that child."

Sources:

Greta Thunberg, 2019: https://www.theguardian.com .. greta-thunberg-full-speech-to-mps-you-did-not-act-in-time ..

Gerardo Ceballos, Paul R. Ehrlich, and Rodolfo Dirzo, 2017: https://www.pnas.org/content/114/30/E6089.short

Steven W. Running, 2006:

Science 18 Aug 2006: Vol. 313, Issue 5789, pp. 927-928

DOI: 10.1126/science.1130370

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/313/5789/927

ENDS

Contact:

Nathan Strathdee, 07741490906, xrshefpress@gmail.com

George Hume: xrshefpress@gmail.com

Dr Bing Jones: 07711447306, bingportraits@gmail.com

Nila: xrsheffield@gmail.com

Facebook: Extinction Rebellion Sheffield

Twitter: @XRShef

Instagram: @XRShef

Notes to editors

Climate Factsheet for Rebels https://rebellion.earth/the-climate-factsheet-for-rebels/

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 key demands are:

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 Citizens’ Assembly to oversee the changes, as part of creating a democracy fit for purpose.

Get involved in Extinction Rebellion’s other events:

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 - locally in the UK or in your country around the world

Find your local group: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=11jUqqjTHMThksd4KbvGGzb3I3Cr3PkBl&usp=sharing

Check out the International XR website, with links to the French, German, Italian and UK websites. We are holding Collaborative Leadership Calls to help coach people to improve their leadership skills and capacities. And while your time and energy are the most important things, if you are financially able to donate money, see our Fundrazr crowdfunder.

UK website: https://rebellion.earth/

International website: https://xrebellion.org/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExtinctionR

hashtag #ExtinctionRebellion

Declaration of Rebellion: https://rebellion.earth/declaration/

About Rising Up!

Extinction Rebellion is an initiative of 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; 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