The first meeting of the Swansea Branch of Extinction Rebellion (XR) was held at the Environment Centre SA1 on Saturday 1st December.
Thirty eight motivated people attended the meeting, which pleased the organisers. After the organised activities there was a lively discussion about what actions to take. One attendee stated she had left her community duties “in the lurch” to attend the meeting. Another said he now understood the normalising of arrest as being a necessary part of political change.
Roger Hallam, founder of XR, is clear that arrest is the only viable goal. Protests not involving arrest lack the necessary leverage with Government.
Extinction Rebellion has three basic demands of our leaders:
1. Government to declare climate emergency
2. Carbon free by 2025
3. Form a National Citizen’s Assembly
Several delegates went off to Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA) training in Carmarthen after the meeting, and there was a strong interest in such a training session being held in Swansea.
It was agreed that the City and County of Swansea and Welsh Government may and should wish to support these actions in context of the Welfare of Future Generations Act; it remains to be seen whether this can be leveraged.
The City and Country of Swansea is also a willing and landmark signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), obliging all agencies to act with due regard to the rights of children. This includes the right to speak and seek agency in matters that concern them, an issue brought starkly to the fore in the UK and Ireland by the Brexit referendum.
Yoga teacher Carol Shephard, led XR Swansea in singingAlthough it was in a way disappointing that there were proportionately fewer young people at the meeting, those present certainly made up for it in vigour, knowledge and commitment.
On the other hand the older people set about seeking the leadership of children and young people in averting catastrophe.
While wary of diluting support for the national initiative, the Extinction Rebellion Swansea meeting nevertheless unanimously agreed on the importance of local action as well as Wales-wide and UK-wide actions.
“Unite the people, we are one” goes the rousing Native American song Carol Shephard taught us.
Extinction Rebellion Swansea will meet again on the 5th of January 2019 to plan an action for the new year.
To get involved please contact Maddy Adams on the Extinction Rebellion Swansea Facebook page and follow XR Swansea to stay up to date.
Carol Shephard, Extinction re, Rising Up!, Roger Hallam, XR Swansea
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