Extinction Rebellion promises to mobilize 2 million people to start what it claims will be the largest civil resistance act in UK history next year.
Following criticism of this month’s climate summit in Paris, which was not sufficiently focused on the crisis, the environmental campaign group is making the pledge.
According to the group, the numbers of protestors participating in demonstrations has declined during the pandemic. However, they hope to have record numbers by 2022.
XR cites research from Harvard University that shows movements that have at least 3.5 percent of the population are more likely to achieve significant social or political change.
This group claims that 3.5% of UK citizens is equivalent to 2.33 million people. They have set themselves the objective of recruiting them for their campaign in 2022.
It described it as the “largest act of civil resistance” in UK history and appealed to people to support its cause.
Extinction Rebellion called for more members and promised that it would bring about the ‘largest act of civil resistance in UK History’ in 2022. According to the group, it hopes to continue its disruptive protests in 2019 (pictured), but at a greater scale to effect change.
Diana Warner (protester) glues her hand on a train while demonstrators block Canary Wharf Station traffic during the Extinction Rebellion protest, London, Britain. April 25, 2019, 2019.
Nuala Gathercole Lam, spokesperson for the Group said that while our 2019 mass participation campaigns played a major role in driving awareness of climate change and the ecological crisis, XR has not brought the government to take the necessary actions to lower emissions and restore biodiversity.
“That’s why, in 2022, we will work to expand our ranks and create designs for civil resistance camps. The first will take place in April 2022.
“Our mobilization program will continue building numbers throughout the year with an aim to achieve XR’s 3 demands.
‘The failure of COP26, and indeed the COP process generally, is devastating but not surprising – it is clearer than ever now that it’s up to all of us.’
Extinction Rebellion began organizing disruptive protests in London on Monday 15 April 2019 and targeted areas like Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge, and other popular locations.
Not only did they disrupt commuters by blocking roads but activists also disrupted transport networks by attaching themselves to trains.
After weeks of disruption, protestors from the Extinction Rebellion gather at Hyde Park in 2019.
In 2019, the City of London was blocked by climate protesters from Extinction Rebellion.
More than 1000 people were detained as part of demonstrations that took place in April and also targeted Heathrow Airport.
Cop26, according to the group, ‘failed’ to listen to expert calls for a rapid and global decline in emissions. They also stated that the summit had left the ‘human race investing in its own demise’.
Responding to this, the group plans to hire more than 2 million UK residents to support its cause.
XR states that it will “roll out a nationwide program door to door canvassing. talks. trainings. and mass participation civil disobedience camps.”
Gathercole Lam said: “For future climate negotiations to make real progress, the main polluting countries must get involved and end the impasse.”
‘The theory behind Extinction Rebellion is that mass participation in civil disobedience – on the doorstep of the government, media and elites – is our best shot at creating the political conditions for the UK to step up and play that role.’