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We’ve seen quite a lot of comment on various social media platforms about Saturday’s Procession for the Planet in Lewes. While the overwhelming majority of the comments have been supportive, we felt it important to address a couple of issues.

Firstly, concerns about Saturday’s march being an illegal gathering. We’re pleased to confirm that this is definitely NOT the case – we’ve spoken with the local police and they have confirmed they do not view it as such, provided we observe social distancing. While we feel it’s essential to keep protesting even during these unprecedented times, due to continued government inaction on the climate and environmental emergency, we’re acutely aware of the need to do so in a responsible and safe manner.

Secondly, we’d like to explain why we’re staging a funeral-procession type event at a time when people are dying from a terrible disease, and relatives have been unable to attend funerals. Experts broadly agree that Covid-19 is likely to have spread from animals to people as a result of human activity, as agriculture, forestry, mining and oil push into previously unpopulated areas, destroying animals’ natural habitats and bringing them into proximity with us. If we don’t change our behaviour we’re very likely to see new – and potentially worse – pandemics in future. This march is a tribute to the millions who have lost their lives as a result of the Emergency – be that through disease, dirty air, wildfires, storms or some other event – the billions of other living creatures that have died (1bn animals in the recent Australian wildfires), and a lament for the Earth itself.

We were very pleased that the vast majority of commenters agreed with Extinction Rebellion’s aims. It’s our methods, specifically civil disobedience, that seem of concern to some. To those who disagree with our methods we say; none of us want to rebel. We’ve all voted, petitioned, lobbied and marched, and none of this has worked. The case for rebellion is stronger than ever. Despite fine words of building back better and greener, the UK Government’s post-Covid environmental spending pledges currently stand at £3bn. This is so inadequate it’s being challenged in the courts. Until we see the sort of concerted political action required to address the Emergency, we feel we have no choice but to continue.

Finally, we were delighted to see a lot of constructive comments and suggestions. Rest assured we’ll be reflecting on all of these. We’re far from perfect, because we’re only human; we’ve made mistakes and will continue to do so, but we want to ensure we learn from them, and we truly value input and criticism from people outside our movement. If anyone would like to contact us directly with thoughts, you’re very welcome to email them to us on xrlewes@gmail.com – if they’re constructive, informed and a genuine attempt to engage with us, we promise we’ll reply!

The first outing of Lewes Rebel Riders was on 11 July. We organised the ride as part of the “no going back” campaign, seeking to put pressure on the County Council to use government funding to promote low-carbon alternatives to car travel.

Over 100 people joined us, including several children and young people, riding as a colourful, bee-themed “cycle swarm”. The swarm was led Rebel Riders and supported by members of CycleLewes, Lewes Living Streets and the Green Party. The ride was carefully designed to be open to all ages and levels of confidence to highlight the appetite for cycling and the need to make it safer for everyone.

We gathered outside County Hall (ESCC are the council that manages roads) before cycling slowly, in a socially distanced swarm through the town, along key roads (the High Street, Little East Street, Friars Walk, Phoenix Causeway and School Hill) that need to be modified to favour cycling and walking over cars and vans and other fossil fuel dependent travel.

Dear friend,

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a thinker.  One of the things you think about is the damage we’re wreaking on the world we inhabit. Perhaps you’ve been actively involved with Extinction Rebellion, in Lewes or London or somewhere else. Perhaps you’ve been supporting us in other ways. Perhaps you’ve been thinking about getting involved, or you’re just visiting our website out of curiosity.

At a time like this there’s so much more to think about. The dreadful death count. The fear for your loved ones. The sheer, unprecedented scale of it. The huge, deeply unsettling uncertainties. The changes in your own life, and in society; the way the disease has laid bare the systemic shortcomings and inequalities and injustices. And the positives. Communities coming together.  People supporting one another. Less traffic. Fewer planes. The spring unfolding around us. Nature having a breather. What to make of it all?

It’s hard to know what to think – and yet at such a time thinking becomes even more important. And so this is a plea for thought. We’ve been inspired by the wonderful art gallery our Creative team has put together by sourcing art from our members – if you haven’t seen it, visit http://xrlewes.org/art-gallery/ – and we’d like to do something similar on our website for the written word. So, please share your thoughts with us! They can be in any form you choose – a poem, or an essay, a piece of creative writing, a lockdown diary or an idea for an action or an idea for societal change or a joke. We aren’t being proscriptive!

For surely now, sharing our thoughts with one another is one of the best things we can do. As a way of therapy, of helping each other to deal with the terrible stress of it all, and also so that new ideas might emerge – ideas that may just help us to build something positive, so that out of this tragedy we might create a better world, with climate justice at the heart of it.

Please email us at xrlewes@gmail.com

Love and hope,
XR Lewes Central

No Going Back

There’s a new national action starting called ‘There’s No Going Back Sundays’. Around the country Central XR are encouraging people to stand with a handmade placard highlighting the need for change as we come out of the lockdown. It’s suggested we stand 2 metres apart, wear masks and the photos are posted on social media.

On Sunday 17th May several Rebels set out from Lewes either on bicycles or by foot as runners to join up with those on the seafront in Seaford. They gathered on Cliffe Bridge where one of our Creatives had stencilled a bike symbol to highlight the need for more cycle ways.

Meanwhile, the Seaford rebels were either standing silently holding placards or engaging with interested passers by. The messages were generally welcomed and there was a really good atmosphere along the seafront.

Further along the seafront some mischievous magic was appearing on the grey pillars. Another of our creative rebels had started drawing a fabulous series of figures. Passers by loved the playful characters and the photos have now been shared widely on Facebook.

The action is every Sunday at 10am and you can join in alone or together. Just make a placard and post the photos:

The Rebellion needs you! Extinction Rebellion has grown enormously thanks to your support! We need volunteers nationally, regionally and locally to help organise for when lock-down is over and politicians and big business try to push us back into business as usual. We have to resist – it was ‘normal’ that caused this mess in the first place! Visit the XR UK volunteer website and find the role for you. We welcome everyone and every part of everybody. We are all crew in XR.

Go to http://volunteer.extinctionrebellion.uk/ to find out how you can help save the planet.