Dear friends,

Despite the postponement of the Festival of Resistance, it has been an incredible fortnight for XR Oxford. We were a key fixture of the Great Big Green week, with an exhibition at the Old Fire Station, samba drumming for the launch event, and then joining two marches at the end of the week. We were also busy putting together a community climate talk with Dr Emily Cox; we returned to Barclays to keep up the pressure, and we have started getting ready for the Weekend of Resistance.

Dates for your diary

• Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th October: The XR National Bus Tour visits Oxford (times and locations below)
• Tuesday 11th October, 7pm: – South East Open Call. Hear all about the plan for the weekend.
• Thursday 13th October: Traffic filters consultation closes.
• Friday 14th – Sunday 16th October: Weekend of Resistance. A long weekend of action, outreach, workshops, talks and more (London)
• Monday 7th – Friday 18th November: COP27. We will aim to increase awareness in outreach activities during this period.

Volunteers needed

• The arts working group is looking for new members! If you want to help create the flags, banners and props that make XR actions so distinctive, and might be able to help run sessions, please get in touch: xroxfordcoordinator@gmail.com
• Outreachers for the XR Bus: if you can be available anytime on 11th-12th October, we will need outreachers to maximise the impact of the bus!
• Spending all your time on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or TikTok? Put that experience to good use by joining our social media team. Email xroxfordcomms@gmail.com
• Handy with a camera? Join the new photographers’ pool. Email xroxfordcomms@gmail.com

News

Bus tour

Beginning on 20 September, the three big, beautiful buses of the XR bus tour are roaming Britain, listening to local people and offering them ways to get involved in the movement to demand action on the climate and ecological crises. One of them is coming our way on Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12 October, and we need rebels to join the crew for outreach at all the locations below. We will have speakers, possibly some Samba, artblocking and plenty of outreach materials: 

• 11 October, 12-4pm: Catte Street OX1 3BW
• 11 October, 5-7pm: Manzil Way OX4 1GE
• 12 October, 11.30-2pm: Blackbird Leys Community Centre OX4 6HW
• 12 October, 2.30-4:30pm: Natural History Museum OX1 3PW

Please join us at any of these locations! If you’re thinking of coming, it would be really helpful if you could let us know by signing up on this rota, so we can get a sense of numbers.

Weekend of Resistance

The Festival of Resistance is back! The schedule and venue have changed since the original September plan, so make sure you’re fully aware of the new plans. Check out the Weekend of Resistance page on the UK website first, then read on here for the Oxford plan.

If you’re going and you’re comfortable sharing your name, please add it to the Oxford spreadsheet.

Alarm Bells at the Old Fire Station

In Oxford, the Extinction Rebellion Art Group have taken over the Old Fire Station with a gallery of stirring artwork used in previous rebellions and actions. The exhibition opened on the September 24th and will conclude in a week, on the 15th October.

Art has played a pivotal role in movements around the world and XR has been no exception. The hand-printed colourful satin flags, banners and props give XR its distinct look. In Oxford too, Nellie- the white elephant has been a consistent protest companion, drawing large crowds as it brings attention to the misdeeds of the biggest polluters and CO2 emitters. The exhibition showcases many such exemplary pieces of protest art as well as powerful testimonials of rebels around Oxford. It also presents inspiring video montages of Oxford rebels in action – including XR Arts members and the iconic Red Rebels.

[ Read all about it here ]

‘Cost of living’ march, 1st October

The links between the cost of living crisis and the climate crisis have never been clearer, and our campaigns have been joining forces. On 1st October, XR Youth Oxford brought together the trade unions, Keep Campsfield Closed, Acorn, and other groups for a rally on Broad Street, followed by a march to Manzil Way. At the end of the march, there was a community assembly where groups discussed how to tackle the numerous adversities facing us, and a commitment for greater collaboration between Oxford’s activists.

Community Climate Talk, 4th October

For a couple of weeks we have been busily inviting people from Oxford to join us to hear about the threat posed by inaction on climate change and what we can do about it together. The evening was very successful: around 40 new people came, the speakers were affecting and inspiring, and the energy in the room afterwards as people gathered in small groups to discuss what was heard, was palpable. The vegan food, courtesy of Waste2Taste CIC, was delicious and disappeared fast! A massive thank you to the speakers: social scientist Dr Emily Cox, a specialist in how people respond to the climate crisis, and Oxford’s own Alan Allport (Canaries) and Abha Jeurker (Geese), who talked about how being in XR empowers them in the face of climate and ecological breakdown. Much love and appreciation to everyone else who helped with the event.

Extinction Rebellion Creative Hub

There is now an opportunity to get your creative writing published in a highly pertinent venue and also do something good for the planet (by highlighting the vital issue of climate change and getting readers to think about it).

Send us your poetry, songs, flash fiction, short stories, prose poems and scripts for plays or films addressing climate justice, the current climate crisis and possible aftermaths and future worlds here on earth.

In an era of soaring temperatures, melting glaciers and raging wildfires climate change has to be the single most pressing topic of this decade, and we have posted lots of powerful, eloquent and provocative pieces on it.

To see prose, poetry and song already published and for submission guidelines go to Extinction Rebellion’s Creative Hub and then create something of your own from your ruminations, speculations, hopes, fears, doubts, dreams and nightmares.

COP27 IN OXFORD

COP27 takes place 7-18 November 2022 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt. XR Oxford’s Action Circle would like ideas about activities mainly on the Cornmarket in Oxford, on weekdays during this period.

What kind of activities would you come along and be involved with?

Activities should be:

• Practical, doable and rely on a limited amount of props
• Ideally, offer themes for specific days – making their character and appearance different
• Lead by specific affinity groups or local XR groups from elsewhere in Oxfordshire on some days, with a theme and activities of their choosing
• Run between 12.00 noon and 2pm on each weekday, to catch the maximum number of people moving over the lunchtime period
• Thought about in relation to different demographics: how does a particular theme or activity appeal to students/women/ethnic minorities etc?

Please send in your ideas as soon as possible – to stevedawe@gn.apc.org – and we will discuss them in Actions Circle (and other groups realistically) until we have a robust programme.

In love and rage,

The XR Oxford Crew

The world is heading towards 2-3C of global warming. This sets Earth on course to cross multiple dangerous tipping points that will be disastrous for people across the world. To maintain liveable conditions on Earth and enable stable societies, we must do everything possible to prevent crossing tipping points.

Professor Johan Rockström

Dear friends,

Extinction Rebellion Oxford were deeply disappointed by the postponement of the Festival of Resistance, and we sympathise with the many of you who were frustrated and saddened at losing the opportunity to come together to learn and bond in rebellion. The decision was understandable – whatever your feelings about the monarchy, it is undeniable that the Festival would have been completely overshadowed by current events, and press coverage would have been hostile or non-existent. We thank the organisers of the Festival and Bus Tour for their efforts, and for taking on such a difficult decision. All that energy will not go to waste, as the Tour embarks on its new schedule, and planning ramps up for October 14th. There is plenty to get involved with, and we look forward to seeing you at many of these events in September and October.

Dates for your diary

• Tuesday, 20th September, 6:30-7:30PM: Why Debt Cancellation is Climate Action. Explore the colonial origins of Global South debt, how does debt drives fossil fuel extraction, and why debt justice is essential for climate justice. Register here.
• Thursday, 22nd September: Take action online or in Reading/London for Loss and Damage Day
• Friday, 23rd September, 11AM: School Strike: People not Profit. Organised by Oxford Youth Strike for Climate (Bonn Square)
• Friday, 23rd September, 5-7PM: Rebel for Life: Love and Rage art exhibition opening night (Old Fire Station). Exhibition continues until 15th October.
• Saturday, 24th September: Great Big Green Week begins.
  • Launch event, 10:30AM-4PM in Bonn Square, featuring XR samba and speakers.
  • Talks and art workshops in the Old Fire Station. Booking required (here)
• Saturdays + Wednesdays 24th September – 15th October: Market stall (Gloucester Green)
• Saturday, 1st October, 12PM: Fight the Cost of Living Crisis: March and Community Assembly, organised by XR Youth Oxfordshire (March from Clarendon Building, Broad Street to Manzil Way)
• Sunday 2nd October, 1.30PM: Climate March organised by Oxford4Nature (Broad Street)
• Tuesday 4th October, 7-9PM: Community Climate Talk (New road Baptist Church, Bonn Square)
• Saturday 8th October, 12-2PM: Come and help us keep up the pressure on Barclays, Europe’s biggest funder of fossil fuels. We need people to help with outreach / leafletting. More details to follow (Barclays, Cornmarket)
• Tuesday 11th and Wednesday 12th October: The XR National Bus Tour visits Oxford – look out for more information as it becomes available (times and locations TBC)
• Friday 14 – Sunday 16th October: Weekend of Resistance. A long weekend of action, outreach, workshops, talks and more (London)

Volunteers needed

• Arts coordination: our much-appreciated Arts coordinator is moving away. The Arts group has made us wonderful actions props, banners and flags over the years, and a functioning Arts group can be massively beneficial to both outreach and rebel wellbeing. If anyone loves XR Oxford Arts and would like to help with keeping it going, please get in touch: xroxfordcoordinator@gmail.com
• XR Youth Oxfordshire are organising a march to Fight the Cost of Living Crisis on 1st October (details below). If you can help with any of the following, email xroxfordcomms@gmail.com
  • Stewards
  • First-aid
  • Legal observers
  • De-escalators
  • Folding chairs at Manzil Way
• We will have a market stall on Gloucester Green every Wednesday and Saturday for the three-week duration of the Old Fire Station exhibition. This will be a valuable outreach opportunity. We already have rebels for the stall, but it would be great to have a few more to talk to the public about what we do. Sign-up rota here. We would also appreciate people printing the poster to put up locally.
• Outreachers for the XR Bus: if you can be available anytime on 11th-12th October, we will need outreachers to maximise the impact of the bus! Save the dates, and we will give more info on times and locations as soon as we have it.

News

Fight the Cost of Living Crisis

As energy prices skyrocket and the government fails to protect the public, we must take action. On Saturday, 1st October, join a coalition of activist groups, organised by XR Youth Oxford. Following strike actions in the morning, we will gather at Broad Street at 12PM, and march to Manzil Way, where a community assembly will take place at 2PM.

The assembly will be a structured way for a group of people to discuss issues or make decisions collectively, so that all voices are heard and valued equally, and no one person or group dominates the discussion. This will be facilitated by two young people from XR Youth Oxford.

This is a family friendly event – children’s activities will be provided!

Community Climate Talk with Dr Emily Cox

We’re inviting the public to a community talk on October 4th, 7-9PM about the climate crisis and what we can do about it. Scientists are touring towns and cities across the country this autumn to share their knowledge about the crisis. They will be joined by members of XR Oxford who will be sharing their experiences of organising and taking action to play their part in creating a healthier and safer planet for children everywhere.

Please join us at New Road Baptist Church, Bonn Square, and please ask your friends, family and colleagues to come and mingle, sit down, share vegan food, and chat with like-minded people from our community. Everyone is welcome – let’s decide together what we can do to change things for the better.

Traffic Filters Consultation

Oxfordshire County Council is holding a consultation about traffic filters proposed for next year. You can make online submissions at this link.

The second public engagement event was postponed, with a new date to be announced. The first event was dominated by the antis. The councillors need to hear from the supporters.

Useful possible questions to ask to give the councillors a chance to talk about the positives

• My bus journey is getting longer, will this help ?
• How will it make biking safer ?
• Will there be new bus routes & where will they go ?
• I can see 100 day passes per resident per year is proposed. That sounds like too many to get behavioural change. Surely 50 would be ample?

Keep an eye on the website for the new date.

In love and rage,

The XR Oxford Crew

P.S.

• Oxford rebel Sarah Lasenby has suggested a way to save energy with “Therm Bags“
• Local campaigner Barbara Williams has asked us to share her video titled The Cultural Causes of Climate Change.

After an eventful Summer Uprising targeting Barclays Bank, we’re preparing for the Festival of Resistance! Get prepared to occupy Hyde Park in September by reading all the details on our Oxford goes to the Festival of Resistance page.

Dates for your diary

• Tuesday, 30th August, 6:30PM: Conscientious Protectors: A Story of Rebellion Against Extinction. Film screening of the untold story of XR. Get your tickets here! (Odeon George Street)
• Sunday 4th September, 2:30-5:30PM Rebellion Preparation and NVDA training (Jericho Community Centre)
• Friday, 9th September, 2:30PM: Keep Campsfield Closed protest (Parliament Square, Oxford location TBA). XR Oxford condemns the plan to re-open Campsfield House. Many of the detainees are likely to be climate refugees.
• Saturday, 10th September – Tuesday 13th September: Festival of Resistance (Hyde Park, London)
• Wednesday, 14th September: Rebel Bus Tour arrives in Oxford – details coming soon. Outreach support will be very welcome.
• Friday, 23rd September, 5-7PM: Rebel for Life: Love and Rage art exhibition opening night, followed by a day of talks and workshops on Saturday, 24 September (Old Fire Station). Exhibition continues until 15th October. Details below.
• Saturdays + Wednesdays 24th September – 15th October: Market stall (Gloucester Green)
• Friday 14th October: Disruptive action targeting government in London: we will join a coalition including trade unions, Just Stop Oil, and Greenpeace

Volunteers needed

• ‘Rebel for Life’, the exhibition of XR art at the Old Fire Station 24th September-15th October, will be a wonderful display of XR’s creativity and passion; the supporting market stall we will be running on Wednesdays and Saturdays will be a fantastic opportunity for us to engage with the public. But we do need it to be staffed! Please sign up on this rota. More details below.
• Roles available at the Festival of Resistance, ranging from stewarding, outreach, cooking, facilitating in the People’s Assembly, etc. Join the We are all crew Telegram channel and decide where you could help, even for an hour or two.

News

Summer Uprising

On July 19th, 2022 the UK recorded its hottest day with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius, causing fires around the country. Extinction Rebellion’s ‘Summer Uprising’ organized in the same month was a prescient warning against similar future catastrophic events in a warming planet. Working in the backdrop of Europe-wide heat waves and the issuance of the first ever red warning by the Met Office, Extinction Rebellion Oxford orchestrated a series of summer actions targeting Barclays.

Banks like Barclays have consistently turned a blind eye to their role in funding the climate crisis. Barclays is the biggest investor in fossil fuels, having invested in excess of 145 billion GBP since the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Despite the bank’s claims of aligning their investments to meet net zero goals by 2050, their continued funding of new fossil fuel projects shows a clear lack of commitment. Its complete lack of interest in any potential climate action became further obvious when its shareholders rejected all possibility of divestments from fossil fuels earlier this year.

Summer Uprising actions in Oxford took place began on July 21st. Activists took to Cornmarket Street, outside the bank’s central branch in Oxford, to inform customers and passers by of the bank’s culpability in bringing about an unlivable future. Customers at the gate were also guided to explore other ethical and environmentally sustainable banking solutions. 

A week later, on 28th July, five local rebels staged a theatrical performance at the same location that depicted ordinary citizens being doused in dirty oil bankrolled by Barclays. The powerful narratives, striking visuals and songs piqued the interest of people in the busy shopping district and the message of Barclays’ role in funding the climate crisis was received by a large number of people. 

On the 3rd of August, Extinction Rebellion Oxford targeted the bank for a third time. While several protestors distributed leaflets and spoke to passers-by outside, five women sat in the Cornmarket branch for several hours holding a banner saying: ‘Barclays funds climate famine, Barclays creates climate refugees’. Among the spectators were a large group of schoolchildren from Ecuador with their teacher who joined the women and, in perfect English, chanted: “Thank you for thinking about our future.”

Hardship fund

XR Oxford has a fund to help rebels with travel costs to London for September and October’s activities. You can claim £20 for each return trip you make to London. This is enough to cover a return ticket on the Oxford Tube. You can claim for up to 4 trips (a maximum of £80) across September and October 2022.

We can make payment by bank transfer, cash or Paypal. We will ask you to email a picture of your ticket or receipt. We can give you money before you travel, if you need it. This scheme is being operated on trust – please only ask for this money if you need it. We won’t ask for any proof of need.

If you’d like to use the travel fund, please talk to your affinity group coordinator, or email xroxfordedi@gmail.com. Sadly our fund is not unlimited, so if you need to use the fund, please check we’ve got money for you before you travel.

Support Fossil Free Oxfordshire Divestment Campaign

The Oxfordshire local government pension scheme, which provides pensions for over 66,000 public sector workers in the county, STILL has investments in fossil fuel companies including over £20m in Shell despite the county council having declared a Climate Emergency back in 2019. A long-running campaign to get the fund to divest has a real chance of finally achiveing its goal, with a motion coming to full council very soon (probably in mid-September. We’ve been asked to help by getting as many signatures as possible on their new petition ahead of the meeting on 13th September. Please sign and share the petition here.

Rebel for Life: Love and RagE Exhibition

An exhibition of XR art works made by Oxfordshire people – banners, flags, other protest props etc. will be taking place at The Old Fire Station, Gloucester Green, from 24th September – 15th October. We appreciate any members attending to talk to exhibition visitors. The opening event will be on Fri 23 September, 5 – 7pm in the upper gallery of the Old Fire Station, featuring a range of speakers.

Workshops

The workshops will take place on Saturday 24 September, in the Art Room. Tickets will be free, and booked through the OFS box office. If people wish to buy bags etc to print on, they can buy from XR on the day or bring own clothes/materials. The workshops and talks will be facilitated by XR, with a member of OFS staff present to assist.

10.00 – 12.00: Block printing workshop for children aged 5+. Three sessions, each of 40mins. Parents must remain with their children.

14.00 – 14.30: Talk (Be the Change) 30mins, for adults aged 14+

14.30 – 16.30: Linocut and block printing workshop for adults aged 14+. Two sessions, each of 1 hour.

18.00 – 18.30: Talk (Be the Change) 30mins, for adults aged 14+

Market stall

Featuring information, postcards, badges, bags and some drop-in creative activities, from 10am – 4pm on the following days:

Saturdays: 24th September, 1st and 8th October

Wednesdays: 28th September, 5th and 11th October

If you can help out by joining a rota to run the stall, please sign up on here. It would be great to have at least two people on the stall at all times, so please have a think about whether you’ll be available for a shift or two.

In love and rage,

The XR Oxford Crew

We are still addicted to fossil fuels.

The only true path to energy security, stable power prices, prosperity & a livable planet lies in quitting fossil fuels & accelerating the transition to renewables.

António Guterres, Secretary General of the UN

The Summer Uprising has begun! XR Oxford kicked off proceedings with banner drops around Oxfordshire. The purpose of the uprising is twofold: to continue to press home our immediate demand – to end new fossil fuels now, and to continue to build the movement, recruit new rebels and build momentum for the September rebellion in London. We will be targeting Barclays Bank’s atrocious record of funding big polluters and enabling new fossil fuel projects.

Dates for your diary

• Thursday 21st July, 12-2pm: Outreach around Barclays, with banners, flags, Samba and a pink table ‘helpdesk’ where members of the public will be helped to switch to an ethical bank. Postponed from original date of the 19th due to extreme heat warning.
• Saturday 23rd July: We All Want To Just Stop Oil (London)
• Sunday 24th July, 1:30-4:30pm: Art Workshop (SS Mary and John School). See below for details.
• Thursday 28th July, 12-2pm: Dramatic Drowning in Oil action and die-in at Barclays.
• Sunday 31st July: Bike ride around Oxford, followed by a picnic – a chance to connect with old and new rebels. Further details coming soon!
• Sat/Sun 6th-7th August: XR Camp Out (Runnymede). Family friendly weekend of workshops and outreach.

Volunteers needed

• Anyone with a DBS check willing to help at the XR art exhibition at the Old Fire Station during workshops on Saturday 24th September, from 10AM-4PM. Please contact Sue: spencerlonghurst@btinternet.com

News

Clean Air Day – Thursday 16th June

How clean is the air you’re breathing? That’s the question Headington Fringe rebels asked local residents at two outreach events in Headington in late May/mid-June focusing on the high air pollution levels across Oxford. In late May we had a stall at the Headington Festival in Bury Knowle park. We showed residents on https://addresspollution.org the level of air pollution in their street and then, when they expressed shock at the high levels of pollution, we discussed the need for keeping fossil fuels in the ground and free buses for Oxford. Just about everyone we spoke to was positive about this idea. We also asked them to sign postcards for Anneliese Dodds, MP, and Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport, calling for free buses. We had lots of lovely Arts stuff to make the stall attractive and raised about £60 in donations for arts goodies and in general support.

On Clean Air Day, Thursday 16th June, we focused on the same campaign, with a stall at Headington shops and a rota of eight rebels doing outreach. By the end, all the remaining postcards had been signed – 200 in total! We have posted the cards for Grant Shapps to him, with a covering letter, and are planning to hand over the cards for Anneliese Dodds to her in person. We also signed up 16 people (from the two events) who wanted to know more about XR. Feng did a great job taking photos and interviewing Mary Gill. See the interview here.

Project 3.5

Over the a period of 10 days in June, Extinction Rebellion Oxford knocked on over 1800 doors and had almost 500 conversations with local people in the Florence Park and East Oxford area.

Our conversations were overwhelmingly positive, with people expressing concern over the Climate Crisis. Many people also expressed that they feel powerless to do anything about the future of our planet. Watch a video of our doorknockers and read all about one member’s experiences. If you’re interested in joining the next round, get in touch with xroxfordwelcome@gmail.com

Art workshop – 24th July

If you’d like to try your hand at block printing, or have done it before but fancy another go, we are holding a block printing workshop so that you can print clothes, patches, flags and bags with iconic XR designs. Some bags, flags and patches will be provided (donations welcome to cover costs), but please feel free to bring your own things for an XR makeover! Plain or not too strongly patterned fabrics tend to work best. Children welcome, but will need adult supervision at all times.

Join us at SS Mary and John School, Meadow Lane, OX4 1TJ, from 1:30-4:30PM.

Also taking place in this session: placard-making for awareness raising about the imminent auction of peatlands in Democratic Republic of Congo! Nine parcels of peat land are being auctioned to the oil and gas industry on 28th and 29th July! Come along and make a placard to support the social media campaign – more info here.

We’ll bring what cardboard and pens etc we can, but do please bring materials if you have them. The campaign will likely go on for some time, so the placards will be used for months and years to come.

Finally, you could also make placards for our ‘Drowning in Oil’ and die-in action at Barclays, planned for Thursday 28th July.

Any questions, please get in touch: xroxfordcoordinator@gmail.com.

Fundraiser for coordinator of XR Sudan

Many of you will have heard the story of XR Sudan since December 2021. Perhaps you also heard of the tragic death of Muhammad, part of XR Sudan, during the street protests for democracy last year.   You may not know about the XR coordinator for Sudan, whose participation in XR put him in danger. We are happy that he is now safe and seeking asylum in another country. Thanks to XR Global Support, Protect Defenders and friends near and far, he has been able to live in hiding for six months, escape and set up with the bare minimum in his new country of asylum.

However, there are still many challenges. It is not easy to get a job immediately, especially with the challenge of a new language. Before escaping his home country, he was also a major financial contributor to his family, so he is very concerned about their welfare. He has recently had malaria, so medical expenses are something that cannot be ignored. Rent, food, transport – these costs cannot be paid with thin air.

So, in the short term, reluctantly, the XR Sudan coordinator needs support. We are aiming to raise funds to cover six months of expenses. We hope this will give him enough time to settle down securely in his new country and find a job to provide for himself and his family in Sudan. Please donate here!

In love and rage,

The XR Oxford Crew

Shell’s disregard for climate change risks means they are completely failing on their Goal Zero safety ambition to “do no harm”. Shell is fully aware that their continued oil & gas extraction and expansion projects are causing extreme harms, to our climate, environment, nature and to people. I can no longer work for a company that ignores all the alarms and dismisses the risks of climate change and ecological collapse.

Caroline Dennett

We’re keeping up the pressure on some of the worst polluters in the country – appallingly wasteful private jets, and climate criminals, Shell. Meanwhile, we’ve been trying to stop the destruction of our precious river ecosystem, and Project 3.5 is ramping up to grow the movement.

Dates for your diary

• Saturday, 4th June, 12pm: Oxford Pride (Radcliffe Square)
• Saturday, 4th June: Oxford Project 3.5 door-knocking begins (Florence Park area)
• Tuesday, 14th June, 7–9pm: Change is Now. For all new rebels: We know the gravity of the climate and ecological emergency, and we all want to do something about it. Come and talk to other local people who feel the same, and want to act in 2022 to turn things around. (Florence Park Community Centre)
• Thursday, 16th June: Clean Air Day. Contact your local affinity group to find out their plans. If you don’t know your local AG, the welcome group will connect you.
• Saturday, 18th June, 2pm: End of term protest. Tell the colleges to sever their links with fossil fuels! (Radcliffe Camera)
• Monday, 18th July: Summer uprising begins. Be prepared for local actions!

Volunteers needed

Knock, knock, knock!

This summer Extinction Rebellion Oxford will be getting out on to the streets to talk to people about the climate and environmental crisis. They will be taking part in Project 3.5, reaching out reaching out beyond committed environmentalists to members of the public who are anxious about the crisis we face (as the vast majority are) but feel impotent to do anything about it.

In a nutshell, Project 3.5 involves intense outreach, talking to local people across Oxford and inviting them to a local talk that will bring new rebels into the movement. This will be quickly followed by integration activities to help them to find their place and feel empowered to take action for our planet.

If you would like to take part in this vital outreach, you can join the Oxford Project 3.5 WhatsApp group by following this link. The next training for Project 3.5 volunteers will be on Wednesday, 1st June, 6.30-8.30pm

On 4th June, we will be knocking on the doors in the Florence Park area, with a talk taking place on Tuesday 14th June at Florence Park Community Centre.

Our outreach work will engage new people in climate action, often for the first time. Everyone is called upon to help in this outreach and we need to act now. Please take that first step and join Project 3.5 now!

Gardener project

“Gardeners” enable local groups (LGs) to grow and flourish, which is absolutely essential to XR’s success!

• Connecting Local Groups to information and resources. There’s a lot of information and good stuff out there, but it’s not always easy to find it! Gardeners can help you find your way.
• Organising training and help LGs to set up projects or campaigns
• Providing advice and expertise on local plans
• Sharing feedback from LGs with regional/national and UK-wide working groups. There are often as many opinions as there are rebels in our movement, but when there is some recurring feedback coming from lots of LGs, Gardeners will help to make sure that it’s heard by the relevant UK-wide teams.

You can read more about what the gardeners have been up to here.

Unfortunately, the South East of England has been gardener-less for half a year now. We’re looking for someone who is a relatively seasoned rebel and would consider being trained up to support other LGs within the South East. You could apply for Volunteer Living Expenses of up to £800pm here. And you wouldn’t have to cover all LGs on your own – we aim to find a fellow gardener. You can read more about the role here.

News

Flying to Extinction

On 21st May, Extinction Rebellion South East blocked entrances to Europe’s largest private jet facility protesting against the shockingly high levels of CO2 emitted by private flights. Just 1% of the world’s population causes half of all aviation emissions and at Farnborough Airport, the convenience of a few wealthy people is prioritised over the lives of future generations. Protesters locked themselves together and used a tripod to block the entrances. At another entrance a table with the banner “Flying to Extinction” was set up, with protesters dressed up as the super-rich elite who use private flights.

One of the protesters, Teresa Garlake from Oxford, explained her motives:

I cannot stand by and watch the ongoing destruction of the one home that we all share, Planet Earth. If our home is being destroyed, how can we not step up to save it? Highly polluting aviation fuel is exempt from any taxes – it costs about 94p per litre at this airport – and flights that use this airport carry, on average, just 2.3 passengers. I can’t accept this when so many millions of people around the world are suffering the devastating effects of the climate crisis right now.

Shell AGM disrupted

On the morning of 24th May, five Oxford rebels, as shareholders or proxy shareholders of Shell PLC, joined an action to disrupt the oil giant’s annual general meeting. More Oxford rebels took part in protests outside the AGM venue.

The 70+ disruptors, from various groups including XR, Christian Climate Action, Stop Ecocide and Fossil Free London, having been assigned action roles in advance, met around 7.30 at a location half an hour’s walk away, to run through our action plan. We arrived at the venue, the Methodist Central Hall, around 9am, unsure how many of us would make it into the meeting, or how long we’d be allowed to remain once in.

It went better than many of us dared to hope. No one was denied entry. When Shell’s chairman, Sir Andrew Mackenzie, attempted to start the meeting, he was drowned out after a couple of sentences by the amazing choir singing (to the tune of the Queen hit) ‘We will, we will STOP YOU’. Once this was over, Mackenzie tried again, only to find activist after activist standing and adding to a litany of Shell’s environmental and human rights crimes, each one ending sternly ‘Shell must fall’.

As all the pre-prepared statements finished, and still security made no move, we continued, with ad-libbed songs, speeches and chants. Some ordinary shareholders were angered by the disruption, heckling and trying to shout us down, but our numbers meant that that had little effect. After an hour and a half, Mackenzie told us he was having to clear the room: first the ordinary shareholders left, then the nine members of the board, and then, as the police started to close in, the protestors, singing all the way down the sweeping staircase, through the foyer, and into the fresh air. A few brave rebels had glued on, and were removed by the police. Three, who glued on or tried to glue on to the steps outside the venue, were arrested.

It was an incredibly uplifting action. All I can assume is that Shell had decided, for PR reasons, against ejecting protestors, but had not anticipated them arriving in such powerful and passionate numbers. It was amazing to face, across the room, these people who are bent on profiting from ecocide, and have the chance to speak truth about their actions.

We got excellent media coverage. Caroline Dennett’s brilliant resignation statement the day before anticipated our message beautifully: ‘They know that continued oil and gas extraction causes extreme harms, to our climate, to our environment and to people. And whatever they say, Shell is simply not winding down on fossil fuels.’ Shell must fall.

Rivercide

The Red Rebels brought attention to the shocking pollution blighting our rivers on Saturday, 21st May. According to a report by the Oxford River Improvement Campaign, almost every Thames Water sewage station has dumped untreated sewage, half of them for over ten hours per week, with a combined 68,000 hours of discharge into the river.

Starting at the Natural History Museum, the Red Rebels mourned before extinct and endangered species, before processing along the centre of St. Giles and Walton Street, drawing admiration and concern from passers-by. We handed out leaflets to explain the meaning of the action.

When the rebels reached Port Meadow, they parted into two groups to flank either side of the river and head upstream. On the West bank, one group solemnly entered the water to float downstream. They were led by Angela Jones dragging a coffin labelled “Death of the Wye”, and joined by a group of wild swimmers. Chants started up – “Stop polluting our rivers!”, “Shame on the water companies!”, and “Species, not faeces!”

We heard from a cross-party group of speakers:

• James Fry, Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor for Walton Manor (Labour)
• ​Anneliese Dodds, MP Oxford East (Labour)
• Ashley Smith, Windrush Against Sewage Pollution
• ​Angela Jones, Adventure & Wild Swim Specialist and the Wye Mermaid
• ​Rosie Pearson, Councillor for Brize Norton and Shilton (Green)
• ​Louise Upton, City Councillor (Labour)
• ​Nick Field-Johnson, Councillor for Burford and North Carterton (Conservative)
• ​Paul Healy (River Wye group).
• Cathryn Ross (Thames water strategy and regulatory affairs director)
• Calum Miller, Councillor for Otmoor/Upper Ray (Lib Dem)
• Sally Povolotsky, Councillor for Harwell and Hendreds (Lib Dem)

The protest got a long writeup in the Oxford Mail and the Oxford Blue.

This event was beautiful but important in bringing The Oxfordshire Red Rebels and Extinction Rebellion together with local people, councillors, MPs and activists from the Windrush, Thames and Wye valleys. We united and strengthened our fight to stop a Government who allow water companies to profit from the destruction of ecosystems by using our rivers for farming waste and as open sewers.

Amanda Button, Red Rebel

Levellers Day

Our third event on the packed May 21st! Members of Swallows and Charbury XR joined a diverse group of activists remembering the three Levellers shot outside Burford Church in 1649. We joined a short service, supported by the Sea Green Singers, then marched down the High Street led by the singing of Attila the Stockbroker. There was a positive response from passersby and those visiting the XR stall, and the talks and then Attila’s gig rounded off a really interesting day, shaking up the usual Cotswold village vibe! Levellers Day is an annual event, and would be well worth joining again.

In love and rage,

The XR Oxford Crew

If governments are serious about the climate crisis, there can be no new investments in oil, gas and coal, from this year.

Faith Birol, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, May 2021

The London Rebellion might be over, but we’re still going strong in Oxford, taking the action in the heart of the city. This week we targeted Barclays, who continue to pump billions into new fossil fuel development.

Dates for your diary

• Thursday, 19 May, 7:30-9pm: All Rebels Meeting (West Oxford Community Centre)
• Saturday, 21 May, 12-3pm: Rebel against Rivercide (Port Meadow, Walton Well Road)
• Saturday, 21 May, 10am-6pm: XR stall at Levellers Day (Burford Churchyard)

Volunteers needed

• Supporters of all kinds (stewards, arts, outreach, and more) for Rivercide action – see below.
• Volunteers for the stall at the Levellers Day in Burford, particularly the afternoon. Email xroxfordswallows@gmail.com if you can help. Car-sharing will be arranged if transport is an issue.

News

XR Oxford shut down Barclays!

On the day of the Barclays AGM in Manchester, Wednesday 4th May, XR Oxford blocked access to the Barclays branch on Cornmarket from 8-12am, resulting in the bank being closed for the whole day. 

Barclays is the worst funder of fossil fuels in Europe—the 7th-worst in the world, providing £4.1bn for new fossil fuel projects last year alone. To mark their AGM, XR local groups were invited to carry out actions at branches around the country, while in Manchester, the AGM was significantly disrupted by activists heckling, chanting and glueing themselves to seats.

In Oxford, an initial party arrived at the branch around 7.45, and six amazing rebels locked themselves into lock-on tubes in front of the entrance, willing to risk arrest. When Barclays employees arrived, they were clearly unnerved by the disruption to their routine, and the police were soon called. De-escalators took on the delicate job of talking to the branch manager.

Other rebels had been invited to come in support from 8.30, and from then there was a growing presence of banner-holders, solidarity sitters, and leafleters. We did some excellent outreach, opening eyes to what Barclays do with their customers’ money, and suggesting better companies to bank with.

The branch was due to open at 10am, and we let the police and the staff know that we were planning to leave at midday. The police spoke to the locked-on rebels a number of times, informing them of the offences for which they could be arrested, but then seemed to disappear. We later learned that they had gone to keep an eye on the XR livestream of the action from the comfort of their squad car!

As 10am came and went, it became clear that no action was going to be taken, and outreach continued until the agreed end time. At 12, customers who had been told we would be leaving then returned, only to find Barclays had given up for the day—poor customer service which angered at least one customer more than our action had seemed to!

This was the first time XR Oxford has undertaken an arrestable action on home turf. We got fantastic press coverage: front page and a livestream from the Oxford Mail, plus a piece in BBC News South.

Check whether your bank is funding the climate crisis at switchit.green, and find out how to invest in the planet instead.

I wanted to say what you’re doing with XR is great, and I imagine sometimes it might feel like it isn’t having an impact, but I can tell you that it has had a genuine, concrete impact on my choices this year.

XR Oxford supporter

Rebel against Rivercide – SAturday, 21 May

Come along to our protest and gathering by the river on Port Meadow (southern end, Walton Well Road). Find out more about river pollution and the tragic consequences for wildlife & ecosystems. Picnic & swim, paddle & protest!

Red Rebels will process through the streets of Oxford, starting at the National History Museum and arriving at the riverbank about 12.15pm, where they will be met by a flotilla of swimmers, kayakers and others. Inspired by January’s impressive gathering organised by Clean Our River Thames (CORT) with #EndSewagePollution Mid-Thames Group and in celebration of the recently achieved Bathing Water Status for Wolvercote Mill Stream, we also want to mark Earth Overshoot Day.

Confirmed speakers so far include Annelise Dodds MP, James Fry (Oxford Mayor), local councillors and Ashley Smith (Windrush Against Sewage Pollution). George Monbiot, who presented the Rivercide documentary, is unable to attend, but gives his support to the action.

Accessibility information: Ground is grassed meadow with a dirt path from Port Meadow South Parking, Walton well road but access may be possible by wheelchair from Binsey Lane by footpath but footpaths are unpaved and could be uneven.

Can you help?

We need:

• Stewards to help keep the event safe.
• Red Rebel supporters to follow us and do outreach as we walk through town
• A strong XR presence at the river to take care of our gazebo, hold the space, talk to and welcome the public, link with other river pollution groups who join the event
• Someone to be in charge of the PA and someone who can be a MC and introduce the speakers
• Photographers and filmers so we can Tweet and publicise our event far and wide
• Any XR ARTS people who feel inspired to set up an arty activity!
• Any other offers and suggestions of help

Please email: OxfordshireRedRebels@gmail.com

YOUTH v GOV

Looking for something to watch tonight? YOUTH v GOV is now on Netflix. It’s the story of 21 brave youth activists battling the US government in court to save their future. These children are powerful advocates for their cause. It’s a story of loss and hope, in equal parts enraging and inspiring.

In love and rage,

The XR Oxford Crew

The greatest threat to global public health is the continued failure of world leaders to keep the global temperature rise below 1.5°C and to restore nature. Urgent, society-wide changes must be made and will lead to a fairer and healthier world. We call for governments and other leaders to act, marking 2021 as the year that the world finally changes course.

Open letter from over 200 health journals

The Rebellion is in full swing this week, with Oxford rebels taking part in marches, blockading London junctions, and engaging with the public. We have vowed to continue with disruption until our demand is met – End Fossil Fuel Investment Now.

Dates for your diary

• This week until 17 April, then 3 following weekends: UK Rebellion continues
• Saturday 16 April, 2-4pm: Oxford Outreach (Cornmarket)
• Thursday 21 April 7:30-9pm: Oxford All-Rebels Meeting. Although rebellion is by no means over, the pause before the first of the rebellion weekends gives us a chance to process the whirlwind of the first week. Rebels will have had diverse experiences: come and hear how it went for others, compare highs and lows, and reflect on what went well, and what could have gone better. We’ll also start thinking about where this takes XR Oxford next: what strengths do we want to build on, and where should we strike out in new directions? (West Oxford Community Centre)
• Tuesdays starting 24 May, 7:30pm: “Living with the Climate Crisis” support group. 7 week course. Contact Rebecca (Online)

News

Rebellion Opening Weekend

Saturday was the most beautiful spring morning for the start of the April rebellion. In London an estimated 8000 rebels slowly assembled in Hyde Park, gently peeling off the layers in the sunshine and unfurling the flags.

We were slow to get started. Affinity groups and newcomers gathered together to remind ourselves why we were there and what we needed to do. Nearly everyone answered …. For my children. For my future children. For all children.

[ Read more ]

Nellie goes to London

On Monday 11th April, we were on the streets of London with Nellie the Elephant to talk to people about the climate science and the need for political action. Nellie is a great way of breaking the ice with people, as she brings a smile to everyone’s face. A recent IPSOS poll showed that 81% of people in the UK support a shift away from fossil fuels within the next 5 years, and that high level of support is reflected in the conversations we have on the streets. However, most people are shocked and horrified to be informed of the billions of pounds that governments and corporations continue to sink into new fossil fuel projects.

[ Read more ]

Outreach in Oxford

On Saturday, Oxford rebels who couldn’t be in London supported the action by talking to the public on Cornmarket Street. We asked them to place a dot on our survey, and the result speaks for itself.

We wouldn’t claim that this was a representative sample, as there were plenty of people who ignored us or refused to participate, but the sheer number of dots at the top of the scale show that there is a huge section of the population who are desperate for climate action now.

Join us this Saturday from 2-4pm for another outreach session – let’s get even more responses next time!

In love and rage,

The XR Oxford Crew

The latest report from the world scientific community is clear. We need to act fast to avoid the worst effects of climate breakdown, but there is hope – a better future is possible, if governments and corporations take decisive action now.

Over the weekend, thousands of rebels raised the alarm about the climate crisis in peaceful protest. On Monday 11th April, we were on the streets of London with Nellie the Elephant to talk to people about the climate science and the need for political action. Nellie is a great way of breaking the ice with people, as she brings a smile to everyone’s face. A recent IPSOS poll showed that 81% of people in the UK support a shift away from fossil fuels within the next 5 years, and that high level of support is reflected in the conversations we have on the streets. However, most people are shocked and horrified to be informed of the billions of pounds that governments and corporations continue to sink into new fossil fuel projects.

We also highlight the shocking injustice in the climate crisis. The rich are creating the problem, but poor countries such as Mozambique and Bangladesh are already suffering. As temperatures increase, extreme weather events will only become more prevalent around the entire globe. People are really shaken when you show them the clear science. We need to stick to under 1.5℃ of temperature change, but the latest scientific data shows us on target for over 3℃ due to continued burning of fossil fuels.

Sometimes people are upset by our methods, and I understand that. We all have busy lives, and we don’t need another distraction. But this problem is not going away, so for the sake of humanity we need to clearly communicate the current situation. Most people we talk to understand this, and as extreme weather events become more frequent around the world, they see the need for drastic action.

We can create a better future. A cleaner, fairer, liveable future, where both people and planet are valued. A future where fossil fuels stay in the ground, and clean energy allows us to live on this beautiful planet. Isn’t that what we all want for us and for our children?

Rebellion Day 1

Saturday was the most beautiful spring morning for the start of the April rebellion. In London an estimated 8000 rebels slowly assembled in Hyde Park, gently peeling off the layers in the sunshine and unfurling the flags.

Our key focus of the weekend was to collectively envisage a world beyond fossil fuels. To understand that our dependence on fossil fuels must end. With the release of the terrifying 3rd IPCC report the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said “climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals. But the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels.”

We Will Not Be Bystanders

We were slow to get started. Affinity groups and newcomers gathered together to remind ourselves why we were there and what we needed to do. Nearly everyone answered …. For my children. For my future children. For all children.

In a brilliant act of inclusivity all newcomers were welcomed and together with seasoned rebels (who were also a little rusty) we were all trained in Non Violent Direct Action while we demanded the government ends all fossil fuels now. A little role-playing reminded us of how to respond to the police during our mass action (Just sit down). How to respond to threatened arrest (No comment. No caution. No details) and how to handle actual arrest (Go floppy).

Our refresher over, we prepared for the London streets. We marched. We drummed. We flowed around London practising our new hand signals – and then we just sat down…we occupied the road…thousands of bodies in the street refusing to move. The simple act of sitting down at multiple junctions clogged traffic around the city.

Welcome Oxford Samba Band

Samba bands from all over the UK joined together, in formation, to play our instruments and wake up London. The sound was incredible and playing together, many for the first time, was a beautiful metaphor for how we can join together for a common purpose. We finished with a spontaneous and joyful performance to the crowds in Trafalgar Square.

Rebellion Day 2

The sun was shining again on Sunday in Hyde Park and rebels were keen to get going and make some noise. This time the march moved off quickly and with purpose. We learned to quickly respond to the hand signals: stop, quiet, sit down, stand up, march!

The beautiful XR creativity was on display everywhere with some very familiar looking puppets claiming to be our government.

This is what democracy looks like

Eventually the march split in two moving quickly to block Lambeth and Vauxhall bridges. The youth stormed the bridges and rebels just sat down! We blocked all the traffic and amidst significant disruption all around we started talking – demonstrating the power of People’s Assemblies.

The bridges were slowly cleared until all but a single line of brave doctors remained! There were some 30+ arrests reported on Saturday and another 45 on Sunday including six dedicated XR doctors prepared to step up! Rebels volunteered to help at all the main police stations making sure rebels were welcomed when they were released.

The time has come to remind everyone that XR is made up of ordinary people.

Bring on the outreach!

Climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals. But the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels. Investing in new fossil fuels infrastructure is moral and economic madness.

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN

It’s only a few days until we gather in Hyde Park to rebel! If you can’t make it, don’t worry – we have opportunities to help in Oxford or online. We’re keeping the Introduction to the April Rebellion updated with the information you need.

Dates for your diary

• Wednesday 6 April onwards: Digital Rebellion (online)
• Thursday 7 April 7:30-9pm: Oxford All-Rebels Meeting. (West Oxford Community Centre)
• Friday 8 April 8am-1pm: Geese Banner Drop (Bagley Wood, Kennington)
• Saturday 9 April, 10am: Next UK Rebellion. (Speaker’s Corner, Hyde Park, London)
• Saturday 9 April, 2-4pm: Oxford Outreach (Cornmarket)
• Monday 11 April, 10am: Outreach with Nelly (Albert Memorial, Hyde Park, London)

Volunteers Needed

• Nelly now has enough legs for Monday’s outreach, but she still needs escorts to help with outreach. Contact xroxfordcoordinator@gmail.com to help.
• Join our social media team to broadcast the action on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram! Email xroxfordcomms@gmail.com if you can help.
• The Geese and Rusty Bicycles AGs are doing a banner drop on Friday 8th April, over the A34 at Bagley Wood in Kennington. We’re short by one person for the setup (8am) and takedown (1pm). Please help us drop our banners safely! If you can help on either or both slots please get in touch: soxgeese@gmail.com
• We made loads of lovely flags at the Arts Workshop, and we’ll bring them to Hyde Park on the 9th for everyone to use – but they’ll need poles! If you can, it would be brilliant if you could bring a bundle of bamboo poles or similar, for the flags to hang from. Get in touch with xroxfordcoordinator@gmail.com if you can help.

News

Outreach in Oxford

Not going to London on April 9th? Would you be willing to help with some outreach in Oxford instead? We’ll be in Cornmarket from 2-4pm with a big ‘opinion board’, asking passers-by how concerned they are about the climate emergency, giving out leaflets, and telling them about XR. The more people we talk to, the more new rebels we will recruit, so please do come along and help if you can. This action could also be repeated later in rebellion week if people step up to make it happen.

Please just come along to Cornmarket, 2-4pm on Saturday, bringing an XR flag if you have one. Even better, let us know in advance by emailing xroxfordactions@gmail.com.

Digital Rebellion

Join Digital Rebellion to be a part of Rebellion through email, phone and online campaigns.

As Rebels block fossil fuel infrastructure on the ground, we will demand that:

• BEIS (Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy) and
• NSTA (North Sea Transition Authority)
  stop funding fossil fuel companies (to the tune of £12 BILLION per year), and stop awarding new licenses.

Find out more on the Digital Rebellion website. There will be daily Zooms during the Rebellion starting Monday 11 April. To keep updated, join the email list and Telegram chat.

Red Rebels & The Nuba Survival evoke grim echo from the Future

Red Rebels from Oxfordshire gathered on Sunday 20 March in a field near Checkendon to channel their horror at the war in Ukraine through moving with John Buckley’s harrowing sculpture The Nuba Survival. This haunting artwork depicting two skeletons in an embrace commemorates the resilience of the Nuba people living on the edge of survival in the mountains of South Sudan, witnessed by the artist while working with them in 2000.

[ Read more ]

See you on the streets!

The XR Oxford Crew