Extinction Rebellion Declaration: On Saturday 31st October 2018 Extinction Rebellion met in Parliament Square for a rally at which they made their ‘Declaration of Rebellion‘ against the British Government for its criminal inaction in the face of climate change catastrophe and ecological collapse.
Among those who spoke at the rally were Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg, campaigner Donnachadh McCarthy, Labour MP Clive Lewis and economist and Green MEP Molly Scott Cato.
A Bristol University student began the reading of the ‘Delaration of Rebellion’ against the British Government for its criminal inaction in the face of climate change catastrophe and ecological collapse and everyone joined in.
After the reading of the declaration there were more speeches and people moved to stand blocking the roadway in front of Parliament where the rally continued, including speeches by George Monbiot and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas and songs and poems.
Police tried to clear the road after a few minutes, threatening anyone who remained on it with arrest. There was a show of hands and a unanimous vote to continue to block the road.
Police increased their threats, and a second vote was held, with almost every hand raised to stay.
The speeches and singing continued. I went to talk briefly with Greta Thunberg who was sitting in the crowd blocking the road.
Some of the campaigners were now laid out on the road, some locked together and others joining arms, but some of the crowd were beginning to move back into the square and off the road as police moved in.
After XR had been blocking the road for around an hour and a half, George Monbiot made a final address and one of the organisers said that people were free to leave.
Donnachadh McCarthy then got up and said he was going to keep blocking the road and expected to be arrested, inviting others to stay with him. George Barda also suggested that people migtht like to stay – and enough did for the road to remain blocked.
Police surrounded the small group remaining and warned them they might be arrested. After a while they came and grabbed one man and carried him away.
Then they came back to arrest Donnachadh; the protesters had linked arms to make this difficult, but eventually they extracted him and carried him away. There were more arrests and some people got up and left, including George Monbiot who announced he had to pick up his children from school.
Slowly police began to clear the road, and get traffic moving, though some were still locked-on blocking one lane. Police had made 15 arrests by the time I had to leave for home.
Much more on My London Diary at Extinction Rebellion rally and Extinction Rebellion roadblock.
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