Climate protests in Bristol

[whole diary]

[grahame]

Hosted by Extinction Rebellion

🌞IT IS TIME TO REBEL🌞

Starting Monday 15 July, we will rise up in an organic, decentralised and coordinated action across England, Scotland and Wales with one main message: ACT NOW! ⏳⏳⏳

For five consecutive days, rebels from Bristol and the South West, will disrupt key transport routes and occupy spaces in central Bristol. Our demand is that national and local governments ACT NOW to halt biodiversity loss and cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.

The occupation is part of the national campaign: ‘ Summer Uprising – ACT NOW!’. Synchronised actions are taking place in Cardiff, London, Leeds and Glasgow.

🌞BRISTOL ACTIVITIES🌞

– MONDAY: Bristol Bridge Occupation
– TUESDAY: XR^▸ (Crossrail) Youth College Green Occupation
– WEDNESDAY: Swarming and Critical Mass Bike Ride
– THURSDAY & FRIDAY: stay tuned

And concern as to the effect on transport ...



A screen capture - as an educated guess from the First Bus staff newsletter; if anyone can confirm source and provide a link that would be good.    It's been shared on Facebook with a plea to customers "don't take it out on our drivers if your bus service is disrupted".

[Red Squirrel]

More details here: https://xrbristol.org.uk/actions/project-mushroom/

[Bmblbzzz]

According to Bristol! Live! Post! they will have a thousand people turning up, of whom 300 are prepared to be arrested.

One of the organisers, a 30-year-old professional musician from Clifton who calls herself Emma, said more than 1,000 people had so far enlisted for the event.

Out of those, more than 300 had said they were willing to be arrested including 100 who say they would be prepared to be jailed as a result of the protests.

https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/we-plan-cause-disruption-300-3077825

That sounds like a lot of people but presumably not all of them will be turning up every day, and of course you've got to make an allowance for "sign up optimism".

[phile]

A lot of spoiled selfish brats who couldn't care less about preventing people going about their daily lives.   We all know about climate change and steps being taken and they have made their point already..

[Fourbee]

Coming up to the summer holidays when parents might introduce their children to the bus for the first time and could be put off for life if they sample the disruption. All sounds counterproductive.

[Fourbee]

Oh, I think most schools break up the week after. Either way, it may put off potential regulars.

[grahame]

A lot of spoiled selfish brats who couldn't care less about preventing people going about their daily lives.   We all know about climate change and steps being taken and they have made their point already..

There may be some - or even a lot - like that.   But there are some - or a lot - who do care.  Perhaps passionately, perhaps not totally informed (but then none of us is) and perhaps not really knowing what to do about moving the planet forward such that it's saved for future generations.

I am struck by Greta Thunberg on the front cover of Time Magazine.  And I'm struck by her on the front cover of RailFuture's magazine Railwatch too.  And whilst she's far from the total voice of Extinction Revolution she's a young person looking to the future on our planet and suggesting that we have to move to much more sustainable transport as just one of the steps to be taken.

RailFuture is a group of old men (sorry if you're a reader who's is a RailFuture member and exceptional by being young or female) and yet they have chosen to put her on the front cover.  There is the issue - on this forum, at Rail user Groups, at RailFuture of how we engage with that generation that will be there and passionately want a planet to be available to them, and of quality.  I find it hopeful that the various groups of mostly old men are looking and saying "we think in a similar direction".   They are also asking "how do we engage" and if you, dear reader, can tell me - either for railfuture or for the forum - please do.

[TonyK]

Oh great, another demonstration on Castle Green. It's getting a bit silly now - zero carbon emissions by 2025? For crying out loud, might as well campaign for something else completely impossible, like the return of dinosaurs, a live pet unicorn for every transgender schoolperson, or a Labour victory in the next general election. Not only that, they are campaigning against building public transport that will use renewable energy. (Alright, HS2^▸ (The next High Speed line(s)) if the accountants sign the right electricity contracts). And I bet there'll be drums. Loads of drums. I used to like drums - think Ringo Starr, Michael Shrieve, Carl Palmer, Ken Pustelnik, Dominic Howard, Charlie Watts, some of many great beaters of drums - but these days you are more likely to see a line of angry drummers in dreadlocks, blocking a road and complaining about something.

I hope it rains, that will help. I shan't be around anyway, I've got important work of my own to do. I'm busy offsetting my last holiday by chopping down trees and burning them. I think I know what I'm doing.

[chuffed]

Dear Boris,
                 Please can you loan us some of your water cannon that we can use in Bristol next week ? Have the protestors not noticed how their actions will literally backfire when Bristol emissions go through the roof next week..... caused by the undoubted gridlock that they will cause by their protests......

[Red Squirrel]

I've always thought of this forum as a place for well-informed, intelligent debate. When did that change? Did I miss a memo?

[JayMac]

That may happen when the protesters (and not just their poster child) present well-informed intelligent arguments as reason for their protest. Many will just be there in a misguided attempt to stick it 'to the man'.

And decrying their actions and disagreeing with their methods doesn't automatically make one less well-informed or lacking intelligence.

Did I miss the memo about only one viewpoint being valid?

[Bmblbzzz]

might as well campaign for something else completely impossible,

Campaign for the impossible, achieve the possible and make it look like a reasonable victory for everyone. Standard tactics in all sorts of negotiations, surely?

[Red Squirrel]

That may happen when the protesters (and not just their poster child) present well-informed intelligent arguments as reason for their protest. Many will just be there in a misguided attempt to stick it 'to the man'.

And decrying their actions and disagreeing with their methods doesn't automatically make one less well-informed or lacking intelligence.

Did I miss the memo about only one viewpoint being valid?

Has anyone suggested that only one viewpoint is valid? Not me! It's how some of these views have been expressed that should concern all of us.

You've made your point clearly without insulting anyone, or advocating violence or sounding phobic dogwhistles. Others here have sunk to depths which surprise me.

[Surrey 455]

Dear Boris,
                 Please can you loan us some of your water cannon that we can use in Bristol next week ? Have the protestors not noticed how their actions will literally backfire when Bristol emissions go through the roof next week..... caused by the undoubted gridlock that they will cause by their protests......

No longer in London. Sold at a loss. UK^▸ (United Kingdom) Government would not allow them to be used.

[Robin Summerhill]

Did I miss the memo about only one viewpoint being valid?

Yes. It was the one on The Brexit Party headed notepaper