XR YOUTH
The XR youth, as the junior division of the Rebellion are known, took over Piccadilly Circus and made their presence and their feelings known. Out of all the different sections of the XR, seeing the youth galvanise and join the fight has been the most heartening, and in some ways, the most depressing aspect of the protest as they really shouldn’t have to. They are just kids but they can clearly see that the grown ups are not doing what is necessary to fix this ever-worsening situation. They now see they must take action themselves and have no alternative but to try everything they can to convince them otherwise. From the youth strikes started by Greta Thunberg to the kids in the U.S who begged Senators to sign the Green New Deal to the very determined kids of the XR, they must all be terrified for the future that potentially awaits them and probably can’t understand why nothing is being done to solve it. They are the future, the least we can do is give them one.
My generation and previous ones inherited a working planet with an atmosphere, temperature and weather system that meant we could breathe and eat food and drink water. The least we can do is pass these very basic but very essential requirements of existence onto them and ensure that life on earth can continue for future generations beyond them. If no action is taken they will not have this. It is not a given. A total lack of response will mean all these elements which are essential for living will disappear. But they are not taking it lying down (except when the flashmob above descended on H&M – see above). They are going to fight. And we must support them and encourage them so that there actions might sway the leaders of this world to take this seriously and stop cow tailing to companies who do nothing but pollute the fuck out of this planet which will ultimately render it uninhabitable.
If you think they shouldn’t be involved in civil disobedience and it is irresponsible to let them, then maybe you can think of and propose an alternative…this shutdown of London and everything the XR are doing is to bring climate change to the forefront of conversation and to get the media to report the severity of the situation and to inform the public of the real threat. In this respect, the movement has already succeeded incredibly in achieving that goal. People are now finally talking about it. This is not about disruption, this is about education and we need to let everyone know how bad it really is so at least with the knowledge they have a choice whether to join the fight or not…
This is now Day 5 and the rebellion it still going strong. The politicians and the media are clambering for the police to disband the bloackades and the protests so that this can end but if the Government just listened and responded to their demands then all this would end immediately. All they are trying to do is create a conversation that will lead to the solutions that will hopefully save us…