Response to Metropolitan Police outlawing Extinction Rebellion protests in London

The Climate and Ecological Emergency isn’t going away and we remain resolute in facing it.

We urge the Government and the authorities to join us in doing the same. We cannot do it alone.

This is bigger than all of us.

To rebels, this is a moment to pause and remember why we are here.

Today a Rabbi puts his liberty on the line in service to humanity and the ecosystem we live in by becoming the first ever Rabbi to be arrested in the UK for an act of civil disobedience. Rabbi Jeffrey Newman of the Finchley Reform Synagogue was arrested in Bank, praying, singing and wearing a tallit (traditional fringed prayer shawl) for the first day of the festival Sukkot.

Rabbi Jeffrey Newman said: “It’s impossible, at least for me, to read the Bible of Prophets without recognising how much we’re rooted in the Earth, in social justice, in an awareness of the world around us, and, attempting to give all that we have on its behalf seems to me the highest calling towards God.

“The highest principle is the saving of life, pikuach nefesh, there isn’t anything more that we’re doing here in Extinction Rebellion than being aware that millions, or hundreds of millions of people, already are at threat because of the changing climate, and if you add in future generations then … this is where we have to be. We have to work alongside those who are absolutely dedicated to trying to save life.”

The news comes as more than 1,400 people have been willingly arrested for this cause in London, plus more than 1,400 others also willingly arrested around the world, since the International Rebellion began on 7 October.

Extinction Rebellion will let the Trafalgar Square site go tonight. The International Rebellion continues.

Notes to Editors

Video showing the arrest of Rabbi Newman: https://twitter.com/damiengayle/status/1183706538650812416

About Extinction Rebellion

Extinction Rebellion is a global movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience in an attempt to halt mass extinction and minimise the risk of societal collapse – both of which are seen as inevitable if rapid action is not taken to rein in human-induced climate change and biodiversity loss.

Extinction Rebellion believes it is a citizen’s duty to rebel, using peaceful civil disobedience, when faced with criminal inaction by their Government.

International Rebellion

Starting on October 7th, Extinction Rebellion is calling an International Rebellion: https://www.facebook.com/events/2428146964128308/

Together, we will peacefully occupy the centres of power and shut them down until Governments act on the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

Extinction Rebellion’s Demands are:

Government must tell the truth by declaring a climate and ecological emergency, working with other institutions to communicate the urgency for change. Government must act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025. Government must create and be led by the decisions of a Citizens’ Assembly on climate and ecological justice.

More Resources

The Emergency

Extinction Rebellion in Numbers

This Is Not A Drill: An Extinction Rebellion Handbook

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