NE climate activists discuss ‘the anger and the angst’ at key moment for protest movement

ON the last day of 2022, Extinction Rebellion (XR) announced a temporary suspension of its trademark tactic of public disruption, towards one of directly targeting society’s power elite.

XR said while it recognised and celebrated “the power of disruption to raise the alarm”, it was time to focus more directly on the elite – because, it said, “our politicians, addicted to greed and bloated on profits, won’t do it without pressure”.

So no more closed-down motorways for the time being.

Instead, expect actions like the one last month which targeted the private jet terminal at London-Luton airport, designed to make life difficult for society’s super-rich influencers and decision-makers.

The XR move follows four years of protests which divided opinion: putting the climate crisis front and centre, but also causing anger and alienation among the public, by disrupting everyday life for thousands of people.

XR’s change of strategy – an attempt to re-focus the public on the fundamental crisis – may be controversial within its own movement, since many activists put everything on the line to “raise the alarm”.

Some are already in prison, others face trials or sentencing which could see them sent there.

Climate Post was invited to talk to a group of just such protestors – who very generously and frankly talked to us about their feelings and experiences at this milestone moment for the climate protest movement.