Northern Rebellion: XR Cumbria

Allan Todd writes: With any sporting activity, it is necessary to warm up beforehand – especially if there has been a spell of inactivity. This is also true for XR activists as, because of the pandemic and lockdown, there has been relative inactivity for the past few months.

Saying “No to coal – and Yes to green jobs!”

Up here in Cumbria – in preparation for the Northern Rebellion, which begins on 1 September – the first ‘warm-up’ took place in Kendal last Thursday (20 August), when over 100 people, wearing masks and socially distanced, marched through the town and staged a ‘canaries die-in’ on the steps of Cumbria County Council’s offices. Maggie Mason, of South Lakes Action on Climate Change (SLACC), appealed to the County Council to tell the truth to the Councillors who will eventually make the decision on the mine, and explain why it needed to be refused:

The protest outside Cumbria County Council’s offices, Kendal

This was a Climate Crisis protest against plans for a new coalmine in west Cumbria – but also a call for ‘green jobs’:

No to the coal mine – Yes to green jobs!”

As the protesters from the various Local Groups of XR Cumbria, as well as from ‘Keep Cumbrian Coal In The Hole’, Ambleside for the Future and SLACC, made clear, there is no future for coal in this Climate Emergency. As explained in a press release after the protest, it was necessary to demonstrate:

“…because climate change will affect us all, probably sooner than most people think. Rising sea levels will be affecting the centre of Whitehaven by 2050, and increased river and surface water flooding will increasingly affect almost all Cumbrian towns…Cumbria County Council should not be undermining the UK’s climate commitments by giving permission to build a 50 year coal mine!”

Instead, the call was for a move away from ‘business as usual’ and, instead, for ‘building back better’ to create a future that our children – and future generations – deserve.

The August Bank Holiday

However, for XR Cumbria activists, that protest was only the first such ‘warm-up’: in advance of 1 September, various actions are planned for the Bank Holiday weekend.

On Friday 28 August, XR Carlisle are planning a possible banner-drop against fossil fuels – “somewhere in Carlisle”, as well as an ‘animal die-in’, to draw attention to the Sixth Mass Extinction which is happening because of global heating. In addition, groups of individuals in their own communities may possibly be doing cycle-ride protests with banners and placards about the Climate Crisis. There is also the possibility that some activists may go over to join XR activists in the North East.

Some individuals – to mark the fact that it is a ‘Bank’ Holiday – may be taking action to draw attention to how ‘dirty’ banks like Barclays and HSBC continue to fund existing and even new fossil fuel projects around the world:

Barclays – ‘The Dirty Bank’

Activists in XR South Lakes also have plans for the Bank Holiday weekend which, among other actions, may well include a ‘slow bike ride’ protest on Saturday 29 August, to be followed by a socially distanced picnic. However, as with XR Carlisle, in order not to give the authorities too much advance notice (!), precise timings and locations will be released nearer the time. Instructions on how to get that more detailed information, via secure communications, will be available on their respective Facebook pages. Click to access

XR Cumbria

XR South Lakes

XR Carlisle

The September Northern Rebellion in Manchester

There are several big potential ‘Climate Crisis’ targets in the North for XR activists: as well as the proposed site for a new coal mine in west Cumbria, there is Manchester Airport, the Drax Power Station in North Yorkshire, and the newly-opened HS2 offices in Manchester.

The Drax Power Station, N. Yorkshire – according to Greenpeace, “the UK’s dirtiest power station”

Other possible protests may centre on the offices of Greater Manchester whose Pension Fund still has £1.8bn linked to fossil fuel investments, including £300m in coal extraction. Because of this, it has been called the “dirtiest pension fund” in the UK. Although Greater Manchester have said they will divest from these by 2050, this is far too late. Alternatively, XR activists may decide to visit Media City, where the BBC, ITV and other media outlets have offices.

Initially, XR activists will be meeting in Manchester – site to be announced shortly – on Tuesday 1 September, to decide on possible actions for the first two days of the Rebellion. In addition, XR activists will also decide on a ‘big bang’ action for Thursday 3 September, the last day of the Northern Rebellion.

So…keep checking the relevant Facebook pages, and get ready to join in if you can!!

 

Allan Todd is a member of Left Unity, an ecosocialist/environmental and anti-fascist activist, and author of Revolutions 1789-1917



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