Climate protests in Bristol

[whole diary]

[broadgage]

Going back to the main reason for this thread. Just heard on the local news that Bristol Airport is a target for future protests. You have been warned.

Good, air travel is highly polluting and I have more sympathy with those disrupting air transport, than those disrupting buses, trains, and LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) services.
I wonder what will be done to disrupt Bristol airport.
Obvious tactics include xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxx.
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xxxx xx xxx "xxxxxx" xxx xxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxx xxx xxxxxxxxx xxx xxxxx xx xxx.
xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx x xxxxx xxxxxx xx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx, xxxxx xxxxxx xx xxxx xx xxxxxx xx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx. xxxxxxx xxx xxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xx xxx xxxx xxx.
xxxxxx x xxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxx. x xxxx xx xxx xx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xx xxxx xxx xxxx, xxx xxxxxxxx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx, xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx.

Imagine the outrage of "nice" people xxxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx.

Edit - I have "x''d out some of that - question raised in my mind as to whether the text would assist in law breaking.   Checking with fellow admins / mods for their views too - in quarantine at the moment

[TaplowGreen]

Going back to the main reason for this thread. Just heard on the local news that Bristol Airport is a target for future protests. You have been warned.

Good, air travel is highly polluting and I have more sympathy with those disrupting air transport, than those disrupting buses, trains, and LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) services.
I wonder what will be done to disrupt Bristol airport.
Obvious tactics include xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx xxx xxxxxxx.
xxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxx x xxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxxx (xxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxxx xx, xxx xx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxxxxx xxxx xx xxxxxxxxx xxx xxxxxxxxx)
xxxx xx xxx "xxxxxx" xxx xxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxx xxx xxxxxxxxx xxx xxxxx xx xxx.
xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx x xxxxx xxxxxx xx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx xxxx, xxxxx xxxxxx xx xxxx xx xxxxxx xx xxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx. xxxxxxx xxx xxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxx xxxxxxx xx xxx xxxx xxx.
xxxxxx x xxx xxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx xxxxxxxxxx. x xxxx xx xxx xx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxxxx xx xxxx xxx xxxx, xxx xxxxxxxx xxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx, xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxxxxx.

Imagine the outrage of "nice" people xxxxx xxxxxxx xx xxxxxxxx xxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxxx.

Notwithstanding a worthy cause , lives are already being endangered by preventing/delaying blue light emergency calls through blocking roads. Suggesting that you're sympathetic to compromising  the safety of aircraft by flying drones close to an airport is highly irresponsible. We can all (I hope?) protest legitimately about sincerely held beliefs & causes without putting lives at risk.

Edited to replace a quote by a quote with text redacted.

[SandTEngineer]

What a totally irresponible post to make on this forum.  We shouldn't lower ourselves to making such suggestions public.

[Celestial]

Isn't that disgraceful post incitement to break the law?  Surely that's against the Forum Rules?  But more to the point, as SandTEngineer says, a completely irresponsible thing to suggest.

[broadgage]

My suggestions were not original, but were openly discussed by climate change protesters in a busy public house, and were overheard not just by members or supporters but also by many other customers.

[grahame]

My suggestions were not original, but were openly discussed by climate change protesters in a busy public house, and were overheard not just by members or supporters but also by many other customers.

They are, however, still suggestions which look very much like an incitement to break the law and while I get a check moderator / admin views on that I have redacted the parts that concern me.

[TonyK]

Going back to the main reason for this thread. Just heard on the local news that Bristol Airport is a target for future protests. You have been warned.

Good, air travel is highly polluting and I have more sympathy with those disrupting air transport, than those disrupting buses, trains, and LUL^▸ (London Underground Ltd) services.

But at least on a plane, there is a service of drinks and hot food...

[broadgage]

My suggestions were not original, but were openly discussed by climate change protesters in a busy public house, and were overheard not just by members or supporters but also by many other customers.

They are, however, still suggestions which look very much like an incitement to break the law and while I get a check moderator / admin views on that I have redacted the parts that concern me.

In view of the strong concerns expressed, you could simply delete the post in question.
If you decide to delete, then I respectfully urge deleting the replies since they would no longer make sense without the post to which they refer.

[grahame]

From Bristol Live - https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/extinction-rebellion-protest-bristol-m32-3103399 - the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC^▸ (Police and Crime Commissioner)) Sue Mountstevens

"The police have worked really hard this summer. We have had some tremendous events including Glastonbury Festival, St Pauls Carnival, Pride Festival and this weekend is Bristol Harbourside Festival.

"All of these events need policing and there is no such thing as extra police. I am concerned about the pressure officers are under."

The PCC believes the activists' point has now "been made".

She said: "One or two days would have been appropriate. We are no longer proportionate.

The subject of this [demonstration / protest / rebellion] is a very "high stakes" one. And as such it raises considerable emotion and differing views.

I'm uneasy that the PCC appears to have the authority to [ state / decide / preach ] what is appropriate / what is proportionate.   She is perfectly entitled to her view, as am I, as are members here who feel that it's gone on too long and as are members here who feel that it's appropriate for protests to go on and points continue to be made until ...

[grahame]

In view of the strong concerns expressed, you could simply delete the post in question.
If you decide to delete, then I respectfully urge deleting the replies since they would no longer make sense without the post to which they refer.

That was an option available to me  (and I suppose remains available once I get further admin / moderator feedback on underlying forum admin issues).  However, as an interim I chose not to destroy a thread in such a way that it could not be put back if I find myself in a minority.

Personally, I have huge sympathy with the cause and enormous respect for many concerned.  As with almost any cause, it has its fringes (which may be pretty strongly populated) which can at times do the cause more harm than good - I've come across a couple of those in other campaigning; those might be the people who go to extreme illegal and dangerous lengths, and they might be the people who preach "carbon neutral" and use the worst possible carbon wasting transport to get to the protest at which they stay just long enough to tell their pals they have been.  I also accept that there are those who's views differ from mine.

Now - where everyone can come together is to look for common cause in a sustainable, better quality future ... and to help channel the raw enthusiasm of so many people into working out what that means and doing it in a very effective way.  But make no mistake - we may only have a limited time to do this - its all very well for rail projects to slip into the next control period, but with issues that change our whole planet we may not have that luxury.

[TonyK]

I personally agree that the status quo on energy use cannot be sustained for much longer, but the protesters outstayed their welcome, The impression I get from a look at social media is that the protesters may have lost a lot more sympathisers than they gained. Another thing I noticed is the volume of just plain wrong information being peddled on Twitter as science by people who can't spell but purport to know it all. And that's wrong without being an expert myself. There is of course a lot of correct information, some of it more than a little alarming, even without the customary hyperbole.
Anyway, it's raining today

[Bmblbzzz]

*It's important to be mindful that beer is so much more than just another breakfast drink.

Made from grains and flowers. It's practically muesli.

If beer is the "breakfast of champions" then muesli is the "beer of runners-up".

[TaplowGreen]

Story being reported on radio Bristol that a man has called in to say he'd received a call to say his fathers health and taken a turn for the worse and he should get there as soon as he could
He got delayed in the long jams on the M4 / M32 into Bristol this morning because of these idiots chained to a bath
Arrived at the hospital a few minutes after his father passed away !!

Here's an account of it with the reactions of some of those responsible.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/extinction-rebellion-protester-fights-back-tears-as-she-hears-demonstration-stopped-man-from-a4193446.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR3iFbFxiR1SiLzKGLrK4rGv6f4Shtf1hubJQs8FWsfoYWZvLkmLk8dJ_JI#Echobox=1563487377

[TonyK]

If beer is the "breakfast of champions" then muesli is the "beer of runners-up".

I know what the "Breakfast of Champions" is, and it isn't a drink. Or food, for that matter. 

[Trowres]

Reported in today's Guardian, an alternative way of making the point about climate change.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/22/memorial-to-mark-icelandic-glacier-lost-to-climate-crisis#img-1

Perhaps something like this should be hung up on the wall of every decision-maker.