On Friday, A woman from Gedling will be among 60 local climate activists travelling to London as part of Extinction Rebellion’s April Rebellion which starts tomorrow.
Extinction Rebellion has planned the disruptive protests in London in order to push the UK government to meet its demands, which are: no new fossil fuel investments, no new fossil fuel licences and an end to fossil fuel subsidies.
Some of them have said they are prepared to be arrested as they take part in peaceful civil-disobedience on the streets of the capital, and some will avoid arrest, but swell the numbers on the streets, and speak to passers by.
Some protesters will stay behind in Nottingham to explain to the public the aims of the massive London protest and invite new people to join the group.
“I have every intention of being arrested again this weekend” said Amanda Pumo, 62.
“For years I have signed petitions, voted thinking about who will do the best for the environment, and what’s happened? Everything has got worse, that’s what happened.”
The property manager from Gedling added: “No one in their right mind wants to spend a weekend in police cells, but I feel compelled to do the right thing for my grandchildren – and it feels like civil disobedience is the only thing left to try to make the government listen.”
Etienne Stott, 42, London 2012 Olympic champion from the Meadows has been arrested 7 times. “Our government has no right to make decisions that’ll destroy my future as they cosy up to their fossil fuel pals. I’m outraged that they act in contradiction to scientific facts and against the advice of respected international bodies. And more and more juries are acquitting activists when they hear the evidence activists give in defence.”
Dorry Lake, 71, retired psychotherapist, Carrington, has been to all the London ‘Rebellions’ since the group began in 2018 and has been arrested previously said “The war in Ukraine, and the massive increase in gas prices both show we need to decarbonise our economy. Our government has consistently underfunded solutions, such as investing in renewable energy and public transport, and it’s slashed support for home insulation. These things could create lots of high quality jobs and make people warmer and healthier.”
Instead the government permits energy companies to make huge profits, whilst many people are forced to choose between heating or eating. Extinction Rebellion has repeatedly called for a Citizen’s Assembly formed of a randomly selected cross-section of UK society to create a decarbonisation plan that would benefit everyday citizens. Ordinary people advised by top scientists could chart a rapid and fair path to free politicians from the political difficulty of making long term decisions.
Dorry Lake added “It is such a tough time, people really struggling to pay their bills, and the horrors of war in our faces. But we can’t let the government put the Climate Emergency on the back burner. It dwarfs everything, and if we want any kind of future, I feel we have to keep bringing home that this is urgent. The Climate Crisis has to be our number one priority.”
Nottingham will see Extinction Rebellion activists on Goosegate in Hockley from 10.30am on Saturday 9th April and on Tuesday 12th April, outside the Europe’s biggest banker in fossil fuels, Barclays, (behind the Council House) from 10.30am, letting passers by know how simple it is to switch bank.
Why were no stories done on the anti mask protesters? Or those like me who were on the streets on Nottingham years ago protesting against the trafficking of innocent kids through the care system by lying social workers? Why are you covering only the agenda? Do you only post about conspiracy organisations? Because you don’t do stories on genuine protests about things that are actually happening. Agenda based news is boring, I hope these idiots get banged up for years, strip her property portfolio for being so stupid. These are the people who are deliberately forcing the government to ban protests, paid shills at best, naive idiots at worst. Rubbish news
Plese don’t give this terrorist any publicity.