Greta’s speech is only the beginning; this will be an Autumn to never forget. Featuring a 101 for rebelling in October, guides, trainings and all your questions answered
Welcome to our second UK announcements newsletter!
This week, we reflect on the legacy we are leaving behind.
‘You have stolen my dreams and my childhood’ Greta declares at the UN climate summit in New York, ‘and yet I am one of the lucky ones.’ The audience cheer, but her face stays stony, bottom lip trembling - ‘how dare you!’ she cries.
Her words were echoed by the voices of millions of children who swarmed the world’s public spaces on Friday in the International Climate Strike. They received massive front page coverage and the support of UK politicians. This was no flash in the pan - these kids mean business, and they’ll be back every Friday for more rounds of rebelling. Children of the Earth, we salute you!
Glenn Hunt/Getty Images
Not a heartbeat after the Climate Strike, and XR were back, this time gluing themselves to the highway of Dover, to the distress of our national petrol-heads. 91-year-old John was arrested at the docks, and had clearly heard Greta’s message loud and clear. ‘It’s important that the older ones shouldn’t leave it to the younger ones’ he says. ‘It was my generation that has caused all this trouble, so here I am.’
If the police thought we’d drained our glue stores at Dover, they were wrong. Only a few days later, and XR Doctors were affixed to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. They act because the ‘climate crisis is a health crisis’ and because the government’s 2050 net-zero target is not sufficient to save our children.
Confronted by our honesty, our courage, how do the economic and political elite respond? With woefully belated chit-chat, investment in ‘green’ tech and unrealistic expectations of consumers and employers leading the way. We cannot do this without deep, systemic change. We need our leaders to step up now.
October is nearly upon us! We are nervous, excited, but most of all we we want every single one of you to be fully prepared. For all your burning questions, absorb this Rebellion FAQ.
On October 7th we need each and every one of you to join, so to register for the Rebellion, and to volunteer your skills, sign up here. Think one person can’t make a difference? Think again! ‘You are never too small (or too new!) to make a difference.’
Disclaimer: Plans are still being worked out, are fluid and may change and adapt - as we will be like water.
Together we will redesign the political stage of our capital. We will bring the action to our Government’s doorstep. At its Ministries and Departments we will bring the climate and ecological crisis centre stage and ask the Government to play its role, and share its plans to tackle this crisis.
There will betwelve sites, all with their accompanying themes, decors and action.
Explore the different sites, a timeline of the first two weeks, why we need to act now in the midst of a political mess, and what YOU can do to help get as many as possible out onto the streets for October 7th, in this presentation.
Everybody is welcome!
To offer or request London accommodation, fill out this form. If your rebel lodge is family friendly please contact [email protected].
To join fellow rebels on a bus to London, buy your XR coach tickets here.
Finally, everyone, especially organisers and arrestables - remember that your phone and laptop security is paramount.
Look out for each other - pass this information on. We are all crew. See you there!
Making decisions together
How will we make decisions in the October Rebellion? We want to give that power to YOU. We have set up a new system designed to be inclusive, decentralised and empowering! Find out more in this blog-post which includes links and short videos explaining the system!
Telegram
We will use Telegram throughout October to share crucial information and make collective decisions. So, to have your finger on the pulse this rebellion, download Telegram and join our October Broadcast Channel.
PS. sorry last week's link didn't quite work. This time it’s triple-checked and ready for you to join!
Affinity Groups are the basic organising structure for any action. They consist of 7-20 rebels, with clear roles, willing to face arrest and know how to make their action as effective as possible.
You will be an important support network for each other to make sure that everyone is heard and supported.
Your group will be a point of contact for the Actions team and will be key to the flexibility, creativity and mobility of the movement.
Get involved:
1. Contact your local group and find out whether NVDA trainings or affinity group formation workshops will be taking place in the next two weeks, or
2. Form your own affinity group with other rebels you know - this should be done through NVDA training or an Affinity Group Formation Workshop, or
3. Join an existing affinity group
Once you are in an affinity group, ensure that your coordinator has completed the action network form. This is a vital step.
If you're in London join one of the Affinity Group Formation workshops at Court House, Clever St, London, SE11 4DZ:
Saturday 28th September 10am - 12 noon
Wednesday 2nd October 6pm - 8pm
Saturday 5th October 10am - 12 noon
Skill up!
Know your rights:
Whether you consider yourself arrestable or not, we should all be prepared and know our legal rights. The Know Your Rights (KYR) Training is designed to teach exactly this, sign up to one of the trainings below:
A people’s assembly is a powerful way to have a collective discussion, making sure everyone is heard and valued. Find out more about how they can help you discuss the climate and ecological crisis, hold a site and make group decisions, at these online trainings:
Part of XR Youth or want to get involved? Join the XR Youth training weekend to skill up and meet other young rebels for the Rebellion. Find out more here.
For a full list of trainings online and near you, check our website.
Creative Hub
TheXR Global Creative Hub is a space for writers of prose, poetry and song, to share their work across the XR Global community and the wider world.
The site will work as a showcase for our creative dimension. It offers you a space to share your carefully crafted thoughts, fears and passions with a receptive audience and discover the work of other XR writers across the world. We hope you find the words bring you energy, focus, action, rage, contemplation, peace and regeneration.
Taking to the streets this October? Great! Camping out all night? Even better!
But please remember that the nights will be like winter! That fiery rage in you heart will only keep you warm for so long.
So, make sure you dress and pack accordingly. Dig out that winter gear you stowed away for the (unduly hot!) summer: warm socks, hats, scarves, gloves and fleece pyjamas.
Top tips for campers: layering is the way to go! Bring extra layers for under you tent to stay dry - think dry cardboard, old yoga mats etc. Put an old blanket or rug on the floor tent floor, then ideally a few layers of sleeping mats. Use a three seasons sleeping bag and bring at least two extra blankets. You get the idea.
And what if it rains?
We’ll use it as an opportunity to promote XR! Bring an umbrella with you (black or blue is best) and we’ll print the XR logo on it, to create a powerful image from the skies! Sharing is caring, bring along extras for friends to share.
In short, stay warm, dry and rebel!
Places, Spaces, Anywhere!
We still need your windows to spread the truth! Do you have a window in your flat/office/studio/space that looks out on a building or surface that you think an XR logo or slogan would look great on? If that surface is less than 150m away, get in touch with [email protected] and we’ll see if we can make it happen! We welcome windows anywhere in the UK, not just London.
Rebel right-wingers
To all rebels with Conservative leanings, or friends and family who vote Conservative and are passionate about the climate and ecological emergency, we want to hear from you!
XR is beyond politics and it’s essential to keep expanding the conversation to include everybody’s perspectives. So if this sounds like you and if you are interested in sharing your views, please get in touch this week with [email protected].
What about Brexit?
The stars have aligned for the October Rebellion; the largest act of civil disobedience in the history of the UK will happen at the time when our political system is the most chaotic and open to transformation.
With this historic opportunity to influence comes the temptation to come down for one side of the political spectrum.
We want rebels to speak to the national media, but we ask that you watch this video, or read the transcript, before engaging in a potentially polarising debate with journalists.
Remember to share those unifying underlying emotions that we all share. We can only do this together.
See you on the streets.
We are all XR Singers!
During rebellions and actions, in the right place at the right time, there've been those breathtaking moments of a multitude of voices rising with the tide of the people.
They can uplift, ground and calm us, filling the air waves with ordinary extraordinary beauty.
Often this magic is conjured by folks like you who hear someone singing, lend an ear, then join in. If you've been moved by these experiences and would like a chance to learn some songs in advance, we now have an XR Songs website loaded with materials.
If you consider yourself a song carrier and could offer to hold a mid-morning singing slot on regional sites to seed a few songs and cultivate some voices, then get in touch with [email protected]!
Humans of XR
We are all lovely people with our own stories, reasons for joining the XR family and taking action to stop the climate breakdown. So we are bringing Humans of XR back, bigger and better this time! Are you up for finding and writing up the best stories? Join the Humans of XR Facebook group.
Rebels in court
Are you one of the 1,000 people arrested at the April Rebellion?
With plea hearings taking place in court every Friday and the trials schedule filling up, we want to share your story on our website and social media. If you have news about your trial or hearing, a photograph, a video selfie, the mitigation statement you read out in court or anything else, please share it with [email protected].
Next Friday, October 4th, we will also be doing a solidarity action at City of London Magistrates Court to support the brave rebels inside. Get in touch if you want to show your support.
An independent group, Heathrow Pause, attempted to shut down Heathrow Airport by flying drones in a restricted zone.
A number of the people involved were closely associated with Extinction Rebellion UK. The action was originally proposed as an XR UK action. Following feedback, an agreement was reached that this action would not be carried out as a part of XR.
Since then, we have been busy improving our proposal system for national-level actions. We hope this will make the steps within the process clear and allow all parts of XR UK to feel adequately heard and involved.
Another clear learning from the Heathrow proposal was the importance of feedback processes. It’s in this spirit that we’d like to invite you to share your thoughts on the action with this survey.
Trade Unions Join the Rebellion
12 OCT | Trafalgar Square
Mid-way through October's Global Rebellion, UK trade unionists will take to the streets in solidarity with XR! Unions exist to protect the rights of workers, and the environmental crisis presents the greatest threat to these rights we will ever face. Some have already come out in support of the school strikers, and now it’s our turn. Help us spread the word to the unions, and get your own involved! Click here for more info on how to share, organise and donate!
Thank you for reading. There’s so much exciting stuff going on that we barely have time to write this sign-off. Keep up the good work! If you have any questions or queries, please get in touch at [email protected].
As we enter this crucial phase in human history, our Rebellion will need money to make sure our message is heard. Anything you can give is appreciated.
