Newsletter 25: Love in the time of teargas

July 10, 2019 By Extinction Rebellion

(Sign up for this newsletter here) Welcome to our 25th newsletter! Our movement, which bravely faces up to the loss of so much, is no stranger to trauma – nor to tears. Nonetheless, the efforts of French police to elicit both of these from rebels last Friday marks something of a new departure in our short history of grief, love and action. When the world watched riot police in Paris deploying teargas at short range on peaceful, seated protesters (footage may be upsetting), we witnessed a shocking level of repression (see below for more).

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Exploring XR: Northern Ireland

July 10, 2019 By Extinction Rebellion

This week, we caught up with XR Northern Ireland, a relatively new group set up during the International Rebellion of April 2019. Here is a snapshot of XRNI’s experiences so far: their enthusiasm, creativity, deep concern for the environment and love for fellow human beings, all coloured by the intensity of NI politics and the realities of corporate assault on one of the least protected environments in the UK and Ireland. Promising beginnings “Our first day of action was during the International Rebellion. At the time, we just wanted to contribute to what was going on in…

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Newsletter 25: UK local actions

July 10, 2019 By Extinction Rebellion

Carmen’s Carbon Procession + Royal Opera House die-in 2 JUL | London Photo by Anthony Jarman: Carmen Declares a Crime scene at Italian fossil fuel giant Eni Rebels from across London converged for a day of coordinated ‘Carmen’ inspired actions — the latest Royal Opera House production to be sponsored by BP. The day started with a sombre, flag-filled procession through central London, led by an imperious Carmen. She was outfitted in a dress best described as trash plastic couture, and a train that demanded five rebels-in-waiting shadowing her every move. The procession stopped at the London HQs of…

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Newsletter 25: Around the World

July 10, 2019 By Extinction Rebellion

XR Ghana 30 JUN – 2 JUL | Accra XR and other groups gathered to celebrate the 59th anniversary of Ghana’s independence. XR banners flew for three days, together with the Black Star Pan-Afrikan Resistance flag of Ghana. The gathering took place at the Fire Grounds in Accra, hosted by the Ghana Union Movement (GUM) and the Osagyefo Youth Movement (OYM). XR rebels linked up with freedom fighting elders from communities of resistance, pan-Afrikan internationalist eco-justice experts and scholars. XR France 2 JUL | Clichy, Paris Rebels held their ground for 11 hours in a protest at Amazon HQ in…

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Newsletter 25: History Corner

July 10, 2019 By Extinction Rebellion

It is all too easy for we who call ourselves Environmentalists to get caught up in decidedly urban, human-centric, even virtual, disembodied ways of being on a day-to-day basis, just like everybody else in the dominant culture. To fight against this alienating tendency, it’s important to get ‘out there’ and develop a real, intimate connection with the places and wildlife which are under threat. This helps avoid the condescension of saving what we think needs to be saved and, instead, builds a genuine inter-species solidarity. We must think more in terms of defending and protecting those we love, in…

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Newsletter 24 Plus

June 26, 2019 By Extinction Rebellion

This post serves as an overflow for some of the slightly longer contributions to XR’s fortnightly newsletter. Enjoy these further explorations of some thought-provoking actions and events. This time, it’s the Cannes Lions festival disruption, the Petroleo and Fueliet’ BP Screening action, RCA Fashion action, and the Natural History Museum alternative banquet. Yes we Cannes! XR France and UK rebels joined forces to disrupt the advertising industry festival, Cannes Lions. The group of 25-30 French, one German, and 7 UK rebels were elated at the actions they managed to pull off and the attention they…

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Newsletter 24: They fought like (nonviolent) Scotsmen

June 26, 2019 By Extinction Rebellion

(You can sign up for this newsletter here) ‘I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving in.’ ― Rosa Parks Holyrood Rebel Camp in Scotland. Photo by Leda Bartolucci. Welcome to our 24th newsletter! This fortnight has been so jam-packed with action, we’re starting to think we need another newsletter to pick up the overflow. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster, as ever, but one we are fiercely proud to be riding. We rejoiced with the Scottish Holyrood Rebel Camp, as they came together in their…

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Newsletter 23: Radiohead joins the Rebellion

June 12, 2019 By Extinction Rebellion

(Sign up for this newsletter here) Welcome to our 23rd newsletter! Yes, you read that subject right. Faced with a ransom from hackers, the legendary rock band instead opted for rebellion, releasing 18 hours of unheard material in an album online and donating the proceeds to Extinction Rebellion. (!) Needless to say we’re very grateful. No industry, sphere or genre is exempt from the threat of extinction. With this generous gesture, Radiohead have made clear that artists have as much a role to play as anyone. Radiohead releases ‘MINIDISKS [HACKED]’: ‘my…

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Newsletter 22 – Get ready for a Civil Summer!

May 30, 2019 By Douglas

A human artwork from XR France Welcome to our 22nd newsletter! This week saw some inspiring non-XR actions from the Youth Climate Strike and Greenpeace, and there are more to come, with exciting plans shaping up from Ende G and the Vienna climate camp. These actions are met by XR with support and solidarity. The change we want to see requires a whole movement of movements, and we are continually grateful to the many non-XR activists out there in the global north and global south, who are organising tirelessly and demanding urgent action from…

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Newsletter 21 – The New Normal: Eco-action sweeps the globe

May 16, 2019 By Newsletter team

Welcome to our 21st newsletter! One month on from our wave of International Rebellion, and the ripples are still being felt. The environmental narrative has been irrevocably changed: public concern is at an all-time high, with a clear majority of UK voters now backing (comparatively) radical action. The shift of consciousness is spreading fast across the world, with regional governments in New Zealand today joining the British Parliament in declaring a climate emergency. Our message is also resonating in the cultural world, with the British Academy of Film and Television Arts pledging to prioritise the…

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