Extinction Rebellion (XR) have warned government Ministers that if they fail to meet two demands, they will step up campaigns in “new and inventive ways” ahead of a four day climate protest in Westminster which will see around 30,000 activists.
XR, Global Justice Now who are a democratic social justice organisation, Don’t Pay UK, a grassroots campaign which oppose the rise in energy bill along with the PCS union have all called on the government to “end all new licences, approvals and funding for fossil fuel projects.”
The groups are also calling on government Ministers to “create emergency citizens assemblies to lead on fair, long-term solutions to the most urgent issues of our time.”
Marijn van de Geer, of XR, told a press conference on Tuesday, “From today, we are putting the government on notice.
“They have seven days to agree to enter negotiations around these two demands or we will step up our campaigns in new and inventive ways, working towards a coalition unprecedented in size.”
The government have been warned that they have until 5pm on Monday, 24 April to “enter negotiations” over their two demands or else.
van de Geer added, “If we don’t get a response, at 10am on Tuesday April 25 Extinction Rebellion will build an unprecedented coalition, stepping up our campaigns in the weeks and months ahead along three pathways – that is to picket to stand in solidarity with the strikers, to organise locally and to disobey.”
It is unlikely the government will meet their demands and the ultimatum and there will no doubt be four days of chaos for Londoners, which is being dubbed “the big one.”
There will be coalition groups in Westminster and outside the House of Parliament from 21 until 24 April which will see more than 200 organisations who support the action which includes Friends of the Earth, the PCS Union and Greenpeace XR warned.
van de Geer said that more than 28,000 people have already signed up to attend four days of protests, but she believes the turn out will be even bigger.
van de Geer said, “We’ve come back stronger than ever, with unions, NGOs, ethical companies and a whole host of environmental groups all united in our call for political change and action to protect all life on Earth.
She added, “So across these four days everyone will deliberate on what comes next if the Government refuses this major opportunity to engage with our demands, because we all agree the clock is ticking for every human and non-human alive today and none of us should and will sit quietly while time runs out.
“So we just want to really highlight that the four days of the big one are not intended as public disruption.
“This is really for gathering, coming together, getting to know one another and deliberation.
“We will be using forms of deliberative democracy, deliberating with each other, exchanging ideas, learning from each other, listening, especially.
“So there’s not going to be any intention over those four days to disrupt the public.
“Of course, having 30,000 people in the Westminster area may cause some logistical disruption, and there is of course also the London Marathon happening as well, so it is going to be nice and busy in central London over the weekend.”
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