Source: Extinction Rebellion
Everyday we move closer and closer to a state of irreversible climate chaos, ridden with sickness, greed and desperation. Or ā we can choose to move toward global societal change and a world we want to live in. The choice is ours.Ā Donāt feed the system, feed the future.
Today we bring you exciting but incipient news of planned Rebellions all over the world. From Poland to Australia, through September and into early October, with more dates being added all the time. (Re)connect with your local groupĀ here.
This month we focus on actions across Asia and the Middle East. Itās heartening to see members of XR using their energy in collaboration with other movements and organizations to move towards a common goal.
In Turkey, rebels are working hard to support theĀ protection of Mount IdaĀ from a Canadian gold mine. While in Israel,Ā rebels helped blockade parliamentĀ to raise awareness of anti-democratic laws. And in Taiwan, rebelsĀ marched to demand clean airĀ and cut coal use.
We look to Helsinki where rebels have just finished aĀ 12 day hunger strike. Also we cover the Indigenous Emergency action, highlighting the plight of Indigenous cultures across the world during theseĀ times of crisis and struggle.
With less than a week to go before the Rebellion begins in the UK, the energy is high and rebels are hard at work. Have you seen the awesomeĀ September Action PackĀ yet? Heard about theĀ CEE bill?Ā How aboutĀ this great new animated video?
Finally, in our Must Read section we publish a selection of posts from theĀ XR Global Blog. The Blog publishes weekly articles which shine a light on the threats that face us and the new tactics being used to fight the climate crisis.
As ever, be sure to browse our Unchained for a selection of all the excellent and juicy actions we couldnāt fit in these pages.
If youād like to help, please check out ourĀ guideĀ andĀ learn more about XR.
To connect to rebels in your local area, get in touch with yourĀ nearest XR group. If thereās no active group near you, you canĀ start your own!
If youād like to see previous newsletter issues, you can find themĀ here.
This Rebellion needs your support. If you canāt give time, please consider giving money.
Action Highlights
In Defence of Mountains
26 JUL | Istanbul, Turkey
Rebels from XR Turkey joinedĀ hundreds of protestors in IstanbulĀ to condemn theĀ violent arrest of environmental activists trying to reach Mount IdaĀ to protect it from mining.
The mountain has been devastated by a Canadian gold mine which has raised hundreds of thousands of trees and used cyanide to extract the gold.
A coach-load of activists from Istanbul were blocked by police and then arrested, while activists in nearby Ćanakkale hadĀ their press conference stormed by policeĀ for apparently breaching Covid-19 guidelines.Ā Over 20 activists were fined and jailed overnight.
A small group of those protestors have stayed on the mountain ever since,Ā using dronesĀ to check the gold mine doesnāt restart operations. Authorities have fined them for their āillegal accommodationā to the tune of thousands of dollars ā but the protestors remain. The arrested activists had intended to join them to mark the 1st anniversary of those original protests.
A recent report by TEMA, a Turkish environmental group, uncovered thatĀ 79% of Mount IdaĀ has been licensed for mining by the government.
XR Turkey and members of Mount Ida solidarity groups have vowed to not let repression and detentions stop them from defending the mountain.
Israeli Rebels Blockade Parliament
21 JUL | Jerusalem, Israel
In Israel a group of brave rebelsĀ blocked one of 3 roads leading to the parliament,Ā the Knesset, while the other 2 roads were simultaneouslyĀ blocked by other movements.Ā
In a remarkable display of non-violent civil disobedience, they physically blocked access to the Knesset to prevent an anti-democratic law from passing, which would reduce parliamentās power to supervise the governmentās actions, using the Coronavirus pandemic as a cover. All roads were aggressively cleared by the police. One rebel was arrested.
Check out our Unchained for a selectionĀ of other beautiful and courageous actionsĀ from XR Israel recently.
Taiwanās Clean Air Parade
8 AUG | Taichung, Taiwan
On Saturday 8 August, XR Taiwan rebels joined other environmental groups on the streets of Taichung City in central Taiwan, to call on the government toĀ cut air pollution and coal use. The city is home to Taiwanās largest coal-fired power plant.
The protestors gathered in front of the city governmentās municipal building before setting off on a march. The parade was led by Yeh Guang-perng, chairman of Air Clean Taiwan, and Mayor Lin Shih-hsien, who dressed asĀ trees to highlight the climate and ecological emergencyĀ .Ā
The Mayor declared aĀ climate emergency for the first time in Taiwan.Ā āThis year is the most crucial time for people to choose a future of sustainability or extinction,ā he told The Taipei Times.
The protestors urged the government to do the same, to promote green policies and shift to a net-zero carbon economy .
Indigenous Emergency
9 AUG | London, UK and Worldwide
The steps of Trafalgar SquareĀ turned red with fake blood, and the fountain neon green, as rebels declared an Indigenous Emergency in London. Banners displayed the motto āGenocide = Ecocideā, and people painted one hand red, one green, to highlight the plight of Indigenous Tribes in Brazil. Actions also took place in Spain,Ā Portugal,Ā Turkey, and the US. Five rebels were arrested.
706 indigenous peopleĀ have diedĀ from Covid_19, with nearlyĀ double the mortality rateĀ of the general Brazilian population. Indigenous tribesĀ face a battle for their rightsĀ with Bolsanoroās government. The Coalition of the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) says āWe denounce [the federal indigenous health serviceās] lack of transparency and institutional racism andĀ demand respect for our rights.ā
Indigenous tribesā first contact with foreign infectious diseases (including influenza) was during the European colonial invasion in the 15th century, which wiped outĀ 92% of the indigenous population.
You canĀ donate to APIBĀ so they can buy food, medicine and hygiene materials.
Helsinki Hunger Strike
10-21 AUG | Helsinki, Finland
Rebels in the Finish capital have just ended theirĀ hunger strike after an impressive 12 days. They were calling on the Finnish government to step up stop delaying action on climate change.
In true XR style, the Kansalaistori camp ā just outside the parliament āĀ was a cheerful place full of colour, music and conversion.Ā With many supportive passersby stopping to talk and learn about the CEE.
Despite the laudable claims of Finlandās centre-left government, the unfortunate truth is that over the past year there has beenĀ nothing but procrastination on the climate crisis.Ā Finland continues to subsidise burning peat and domestic flights, and the state owned power company, Fortum, just opened aĀ new coal power station in Germany.
Rebels said: āWe have been inspired by the many people who have voiced their support, both privately and publicly.Ā We are ending the hunger strike on our own terms, at a moment of our own choice. This is not a luxury that many people across the world enjoy. Realistic action will require uncomfortable changes to our lives, but if the alternative is catastrophic climate change,Ā the choice should be clear.Ā Our struggle continues.ā
XR Unchained
Who would have thought that weād have too many actions for one newsletter? You amaze us, rebels. Keep it up!Ā Please have a read of the full XR Unchained for more beautiful and courageous actions we couldnāt fit in this issue.Ā
12 AUG | Tel Aviv, Israel
Disguised as pigs, rebels opened a desk at the entrance to the offices of theĀ Psagot Investment House, Israelās largest pension fund manager, and began eating money lustfully. Then aĀ waitress came and poured goblets of the black stuffĀ they so love to wallow in. They love it so much that they invest over a billion and a half shekels in it.
āPsagot Investment Houseā¦ is behaving selfishly and gluttonously devouring the rest of the carbon budget that we all have left. This return is going to cost us blood.ā
15 JUL | Boston, USA
Rebels staged a die-in outside the Federal Reserve building in Boston to demand our government end fossil fuel bailouts and invest in renewables! The boat they used to block traffic had written āClimate Emergencyā on one side and āJust Transitionā on the other.
10 AUG | Vistula River, Poland
It is the longest river in Poland. It is of great importance in every corner of the country. As children, we sang songs about her and listened to her legends. TheĀ Vistula, queen of Polish rivers, is drying up due to climate change and disastrous corporate and human actions.
On 10 August, in the light of the setting sun and by the symbolic statue of the Warsaw Mermaid, XR Warsaw and a broad range of animal, youth, and environmental activists witnessed the Vistulaās funeral.
Upcoming
New Global Rebellion Dates
Upcoming | Worldwide
Time to get excited, rebels.Ā The next waves of Rebellion are underway!Ā
Weāll update you with further details as soon as we have them, but for now here is a quick rundown of upcoming events all over the world. Wherever you are, whoever you are,Ā get involved.
25 August:Ā XR Argentina
27 August:Ā XR SwedenĀ
1 September:Ā XR UK
5 September:Ā XR Poland
7 September:Ā XR New York CityĀ
16 September:Ā XR DenmarkĀ andĀ XR Perth
18 September:Ā XR Netherlands
20 September:Ā XR Switzerland
21 September:Ā XR Norway
26 September:Ā XR Austria
1 October :Ā XR Finland
5 October:Ā XR ItalyĀ plusĀ XR FranceĀ andĀ XR Bulgaria
UK. The Rebellion Returns
From 1 SEP | London, Cardiff, Manchester. UK
Announcements
XR Africa News
With stories from the Global South and beyond. The XR Africa News team are doingĀ wonderful work. Check out the latest broadcastĀ here.
The Troublemaker
The TroublemakerĀ is an independent production about Extinction Rebellion directed by documentary filmmaker Sasha Snow. Sasha is offering aĀ freeĀ screening for a limited time from Tuesday 25 August at 0900 UTC.Ā Keep your eye onĀ social mediaĀ for the link.
The film follows the personal awakenings of two people as they accept the reality of climate and ecological breakdown and decide to do something about it.
The first is Roger Hallam, praised and vilified by many both inside and outside of Extinction Rebellion. From organic farmer to social science theorist and one-time co-founder of XR, Hallam recently stepped away from any formal role in XR to form his own political party.
The other protagonist is Sylvia Dell, retired mother of 4 from South Devon, UK. Through Sylvia, we get a glimpse of how ecological activism can play out in the life of an apparently āordinaryā, law-abiding citizen.
Global Finance Team. Volunteers Needed!
Join the team that keeps the lights on in the Extinction Rebellion Global Support movement! Weāre looking for help with: raising funds, designing grant rounds to XR groups, data gathering and communications, and report writing.
Background in finance not necessary but you need to be numerate. Understanding of the Global South context is highly desirable. Get in touch: [email protected]
Join XR Global Support
Want to supportĀ XR groups around the world?
Global Support is a support body for XR groups, facilitating the flow of resources and material between groups and offering support in the form of trainings, funding, and more.
Groups with open roles include: Media & Messaging, Arts, Tech, SOS, Finance and Fundraising, Participative Democracy, Partnerships, Systems Development, Trainings
Fill inĀ this formĀ or get in touch: [email protected].
Global Social Media. Volunteers Needed!
The Global Support Social Media Team are looking for volunteers to help grow XRās impact all over the world andĀ amplify the diverse voices of our beautiful movement.Ā We are looking for enthusiastic people to join our dynamic team and harness the power of social media to change the world for the better.
If you have previous social media experience or think that youāve got what it takes to create eye-catching content, weād love you to hear from you! Get in touch: [email protected]
XR Global Youtube Recruiting!
Can you help us find the best XR video content and help diversify the stories that we share?Ā Join our YouTube team as a Global Content Hunter!
And if you have experience of managing big accounts, a good understanding of metrics and can help grow our YouTube channelā¦ maybe you could go for the Coordinator role!
Read more details about roles neededĀ hereĀ and contact us at: [email protected]
XR Podcast
Check out the latest from XR Podcast. This weekās podcast focuses on the new book āWho Killed Berta Caceresā by Nina Lakhani which is a compelling thriller-like read based on the murder of the brave indigenous Berta. She died fighting the development of a dam using World Bank funding in her region in Honduras.
ListenĀ here.
Writers Rebel
Writers Rebel uses the power of words to claim a safer, fairer future for all the planetās inhabitants ā human and non-human. Keep an eye on their blog for all the latest posts.
Read itĀ here.
Must ReadsĀ
Latest News from Rebellion.global
The blog at theĀ XR GlobalĀ website focuses on the facts about the crisis as they are. You donāt have to be an expert to read them ā but by reading them, you might just be on your way to becoming an expert.
6 Ways That Pandemics and the Environment are Inseparable
Climate change and COVID-19 are linked. And if we donāt work quickly, this pandemic is just a warm-up for something worse. Great art from XR Comic Science helps break it down and make it accessible to even your least environmentally-minded friends and family.
How Lockdown Has Shown That Reduced Emissions Mean Healthier Lives For Us All
In places that went under lockdown due to COVID-19, reduced emissions led to fewer premature births, asthma attacks and other health issues. How can we continue the reduced emissions without the horror of a global disaster?
The Poisoning of Lake Erie: A Case for Granting Rights to Nature
Activists are fighting for Lake Erie through a unique legal means: by getting legal standing for the lake, just like humans have legal standing. Itās not as farfetched as it seems. Dive into the arguments activists are making and learn about the environmentalists on three continents that have done the same with varying degrees of success.
ZNetwork is funded solely through the generosity of its readers.
Donate