Extinction rebellion. Waste of police time.

[sabrinablue]

Whilst I worry about climate change and try to do my bit, I can't help but feel that the extinction rebellion protests are going a step too far. So many officers in London are dealing with protestors that they can't get resources to those who are in trouble and need it. As a survivor of domestic violence who needed to call the police and have them attend quickly, I can't imagine what would've happened if they couldn't attend.

AIBU to think that a) the protests will likely not influence any government plans to tackle climate change, and b) that protests such as these are a huge unnecessary drain on police resources as soon as people start breaking the law.

Or am I missing the point entirely?

If you want to influence the government you have to do it through the proper channels of influence. It’s not rocket science.
Such as protests and demonstrations which are a key part of a well functioning democracy and have been behind thousands of government rethinks and policy uturns all over the world throughout history. You state your beliefs, but the fact is our beliefs don’t influence government policy, and the mass media - and in turn the public - are far more concerned with Brexit and for example, whether the bloke Jeremy Corbyn had a pint with thirty years ago might have been antisemitic, than they are in climate catastrophe which will make vast swathes of the globe unliveable within a few generations.

In 100 or so years when nost of New York is below sea level, debates in the city about the public transport system, taxation, police reform, education, trade agreements etc will all be a little bit irrelevant. That’s what many still fail to grasp - climate change isn’t just another issue. Our political representatives ar emotional taking urgent action - so they need a loud wake up call, not politely worded letters and a few thousand extra votes sympathy for the Greens in safe Lab/Con seats.