Power In Truth – XR Scotland/ Cumbria/ NE England continues to stand strong with more rebels joining as arrests are made

October 09, 2019

Extinction Rebellion Scotland/ Cumbria/ NE England

Power In Truth – Site 6
October International Rebellion
Day 3

The day began with a short action outside the Oil & Money Conference, which costs £5k a ticket.

Activists held a banner reading TELL THE TRUTH and read from reports focusing on the fossil fuel industry’s greenwashing activities and extensive lobbying to block climate change policy.

They chanted “Oil and money? What about soil and honey!”

Rebels will return for the final day of the conference tomorrow to join other groups as part of the global climate justice movement. 

One of the site’s roadblocks between Parliament Square and Westminster Abbey was held by around 15 new breastfeeding mothers and their babies. 

Some rebels also joined the Biofuelwatch protest against Drax outside BEIS, near to the site. Two days ago the UK government overruled a recommendation by its planning authority, which had blocked a controversial new large-scale gas power plant on climate change grounds. 

“The UK has already greenlit more gas capacity than the government’s own forecasts estimate will be required through to 2035. Approving Drax’s plant takes this to three times the government’s estimates – risking either a carbon budget blowout, a huge stranded asset requiring propping up by the taxpayer, or a combination of the two.” – ClientEarth lawyer Sam Hunter Jones.

1.5 Degrees Live! The highlights of the first 3 chapters of the IPCC Report were read by XR activists, representatives from Stop Ecocide and well known faces such as George Monbiot before being interrupted by police turning up the heat on the Power In Truth site.

Police attempted to clear the site, but with more people joining throughout the day from other sites they have not managed.

Currently lots of people are locking on in an attempt to protect the site and hold on for much longer.

“I am doing this because I want my children and grandchildren to have a future. I feel extreme amounts of privilege to be able to do this in order to proclaim the importance of this whole issue. It’s the most important issue right now and we must do something about it now.”  – John, 67 from Forres 

They are currently locked to the stage and have set up camp on top of the food truck which is being used as a kitchen. Spirits are high with lots of singing, speeches and music – a bagpiper even turned up! 

Mikaela, 21, medical student commented, “I have felt very emotional during the day as I have been locked-on, because I just can’t believe that rather than listening to us and doing what is best for our planet and for the people on it – especially the ones who are already suffering  – our government would rather stop us from being able to tell people about this. They would rather arrest us than listen to us and that really hurts me. I never thought I would do something like this, but here I am, chained to a street to try and stop our site being taken and the rebellion ending, because I care about this so much.”

As of 9pm, around 15 people have been arrested from the Power in Truth site. 

Back in Scotland, the TechCube tower of Summerhall, Edinburgh is lit up with the words XR – ACT NOW. 

About Extinction Rebellion Scotland

Extinction Rebellion Scotland is a non-violent direct-action movement formed to take urgent action in the face of climate emergency and ecological catastrophe, as part of the global justice movement.

Our demands, issued as a Declaration of Rebellion to the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government on 24 November 2018, are as follows:
 

  1. That the Scottish government tell the truth about the climate and wider ecological emergency, acknowledge and reverse any policies that help drive the climate crisis, and commit to enabling a rapid and just transition to a sustainable and fair society.
  2. That the Scottish government enact legally binding policy measures to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2025, including by replacing a system based on accelerating consumption with one based on ensuring the well-being of all.
  3. The creation of a Scottish Climate Citizens’ Assembly to oversee the changes, as part of creating a democracy fit for purpose and a society that cares for all.

Read more about Extinction Rebellion: https://rebellion.earth