Extinction Rebellion Birmingham are planning to block roads in central Birmingham
during the rush hour Thursday morning.
It will happen near Snow Hill station, where roads will be blocked for 7 minutes at a
time. After 7 minutes, we will leave the road for 2 minutes, and then return to the
road to block it again. For purposes of safety, we will be using traffic and/or
pedestrian lights to make sure that traffic is stationary when we enter and leave the
road.
Extinction Rebellion is committed to nonviolence and respectful communication with
the public, while nevertheless taking what action we deem to be necessary and
appropriate.
Despite Parliament and Birmingham City Council both declaring a Climate
Emergency, government policy clearly shows this emergency has not been, and is
not being, taken seriously. This is evident in the plans for airport expansion at
Heathrow airport and Birmingham airport, HS2 and other planned projects. UK
policies are currently consistent with a 3-5 degrees warmer world, which would spell
devastation for hundreds of millions of people 1 . The emergency is not only a climate emergency, but an ecological one, as we are now living through a mass species extinction.
Locally, the general population have not been made aware that the council voted to
declare a Climate Emergency, nor do they realise the implication that business as
usual is not an option, hence the need to disrupt 'business as usual' with road blocks, and communicate with the public about why this is necessary.
We are taking this action for everyone: for those who are facing loss, for those facing
displacement, for those facing death, for all our children and for future generations
who face an existential threat from the climate and ecological crisis.
