Belgian Police Arrest 132 Climate Defenders Demanding End to Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Original article byBRETT WILKINS republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).
“The fact that national governments are subsidizing fossil fuels is akin to a crime against humanity,” said one Extinction Rebellion organizer.
The climate action group Extinction Rebellion Belgium on Saturday decried what it called “disproportionate police violence” against nonviolent demonstrators who were arrested during a protest in Brussels demanding an end to fossil fuel subsidies.
Hundreds of Extinction Rebellion-led climate defenders blocked Rue Belliard in the European Quarter, the de facto European Union capital, during EU Open Day, when agencies of the 27-nation bloc open their doors to the public. In what Extinction Rebellion called an “unprecedented police response,” officers allegedly struck protesters with batons and used chemical agents against demonstrators.
Brussels police said 132 activists—some of whom glued themselves to the ground—were arrested.
“This police behavior toward nonviolent protesters exercising their freedom of assembly is illegal and authoritarian,” Extinction Rebellion Belgium said in a statement Saturday.
“We call on the police to exercise restraint and respect the right to demonstrate peacefully and without violence,” the group added.
The activists are calling on European governments to stop subsidizing fossil fuels amid a worsening planetary crisis. They’re also demanding the declaration of a climate emergency.
“National and European governments are spending at least €405 billion each year subsidizing major fossil fuel corporations,” protest spokesperson Bertina Maes toldThe Brussels Times. “That’s ten times more than what’s spent on climate policy.”
Maes said the Belgian government alone spent as much as €20 billion ($21.5 billion) on fossil fuel subsidies in 2020, more than 2% of the country’s gross domestic product.
“The fact that national governments are subsidizing fossil fuels is akin to a crime against humanity,” she asserted.
This weekend’s demonstration and arrests come a month before E.U. parliamentary elections. According to an April Eurobarometer survey conducted by the European Parliament, climate action is the fifth-most important issue to voters, after poverty and social exclusion, health, jobs, and defense and security.
Original article byBRETT WILKINS republished from Common Dreams under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0).
Chris Packham joins hundreds in ‘funeral procession’ for the natural world
Hundreds of protesters dressed in red and and black walked through Bath on Saturday.
Broadcaster Chris Packham joined hundreds of protesters in a “funeral procession” for the natural world destroyed by climate change.
Some protesters dressed in red and hundreds more wearing black walked through the streets of Bath, Somerset, on Saturday.
“Mourners” in the performance art piece walked to a drum beat and carried a willow funeral bier of a mother earth figure, created by artist Anna Gillespie.
Environmentalist Mr Packham wore a black tie with an Extinction Rebellion logo as he spoke to the crowd.
The protest aimed to sound “code red for nature” and highlight “the UK’s position as one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world”, ahead of Earth Day on Monday.
Coming soon …
The plan is to present a live audio podcast entitled ‘Talking About a Revolution’ featuring renowned climate activist Roger Hallam and myself on 1st May 2024 at 7pm BST (GMT +1). We’re not proposing violent revolution, rather a serious huge economic, political and social transition away from Capitalism which is totally and incessantly destroying the planet.
Roger has been active in founding many climate activist groups e.g. Extinction Rebellion, Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil. Roger and myself are similar in many ways: We’re both about the same age, have Welsh histories, committed to being brutally honest and seem to have reached very similar conclusions i.e. the need for revolution, through different routes.
I’m also intending to host a live audio podcast a week earlier on 24 April at 7pm BST (GMT +1) featuring myself to test the tech since I’ve never done it before. There is a chance that it may not work of course which is part of why I’m doing it. It will likely be a monologue but I’m hoping to feature some special ‘guests’ in a not too serious programme. Not too serious because it’s probably a good response to laugh in the face of adversity.
Those of you who have attended universities will probably realise that they are are dumping grounds for insane but mostly harmless people who are basically fekking bonkers. I suggest that you should recognise that the same happens in contemporary politics: that politicans are totally fekking beserk who would not be tolerated in normal professions and have been successful in politics. Just consider our prime ministers FFS.
Roger Hallam’s wikipedia entry.
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