Eco protesting

[Boomerwang]

Apparently there's a bill going forward to give police more powers to deal with protests and vigils that cause 'serious unease' or 'serious annoyance' and this bill has been blocked several times by Keir Starmer previously.

AIBU to think police should be granted more powers to stop protestors from blocking access points? I fully agree the right to protest must be protected, but what about when it affects others?

I'd argue to go even further and stop the waste of taxpayer's money by having to involve the police at all but then I know people would get seriously hurt this way and that's not okay.

At the same time, I wonder how effective these protests are by forcing us to confront what's going on and whether ultimately they are doing something good? Would they achieve results by sitting to the side of access points instead? Would anyone listen if daily life were uninterrupted? Does anyone stop to think of the cause just because they were physically stopped? Surely it's impossible to sympathise when you're angry?

Personally protesting is something I read about in the news but it doesn't prompt me to reflect on my contribution or research further.

Has anyone been affected by protests before and did it make you consider environment and ecology after the event?

They need dealing with and the police need the powers to move them by force immediately

I am 100% behind these protesters.

People are forced to take these actions when governments continually fail to take climate change seriously.

EV range anxiety is quaint when you can't even get diesel.

They are highlighting key issues and anger should be directed at governments not those actually doing something about it. If you are angry at protestors then you aren't understanding the importance of this.

@Stellaris22

I am 100% behind these protesters.

People are forced to take these actions when governments continually fail to take climate change seriously.

EV range anxiety is quaint when you can't even get diesel.

They are highlighting key issues and anger should be directed at governments not those actually doing something about it. If you are angry at protestors then you aren't understanding the importance of this.

We shouldn't ban protests, but we effect change via the ballot box.

If people choose to exercise their democratic right to continue voting for parties who do little or nothing to address the issue that is their right.

Gluing yourself to things and disrupting everyday life isn't really very likely to produce a mass shift in thinking - people will get angry with government but not for the reason you wish and people will demand authoritarian measures to stop people disrupting daily life.

It is a massive luxury that many people can't afford to have a level of financial independence that allows you to take a day off to glue yourself to a road or a tube train.

BoodleBug51

Peaceful protests are one thing.

Blocking roads and causing misery for hundreds of thousands of drivers by causing fuel shortages is wankerish.

There have been peaceful protests about climate change for years and years. Massive marches through London.

There have been so many scientific reports imploring change to protect us. So many petitions. So many protests. There is not enough time now to do anything but this kind of direct action. Everything else has been tried.

If I was in a position to do this kind of thing I would because I’m scared for my DC future and I can’t trust the Government to do what is needed. Being a massive pain in the &@“£ is now the only option left.

So - if you are informed about the current science and what is needed, you can see climate chaos already killing people, you have protested peacefully, signed petitions, written to your MP for the last 30 years, and yet still your government makes decisions that place your future at risk, tell me, what SHOULD you do?

How else can we, the people, force the Government to do what is needed to protect our future safety?

I find it hard to believe protestors do this 'because it's fun'. It's frustration and desperation at continual failure of governments. It can't be business as usual and we need a dramatic shift in energy policies which we aren't getting. Not finding these issues important is ignorance. Of course people are rightfully angry and protesting.

The impact on other people is currently unacceptable. Laws are needed IMO.

The video of the woman trying to get to her mum who'd been taken to hospital being stopped by Insulate Britain disgusted me. What about the kid not able to get to their chemo. In fact these people made me want to throw my roof insulation out of the window.

These people would happily stop public transport such as the tube, containing kids going to GCSE exams.

Climate change is a severe problem and needs action immediately. Protesting isn't the way to achieve this though. In some cases it will be a threat to life - a trapped diabetic, people trying to get to hospital etc. People blocking roads need jailing.

daimbarsatemydogsbone

There isn’t time to wait for the next election. We need to change really quickly - we were poised to do this, I think, and then covid happened and focus changed. This is a global emergency- not something that can wait - it transcends geographical boundaries and party politics. It’s too important to wait and see if ‘the people’ vote for extinction or not.

Lots of people wouldn’t have voted for seat belts in cars but legislative measures were put in place because the science was that it would (and has) saved lives. There is no other option if we want to survive as a species. Sometimes Governments HAVE to do things that are unpopular for the safety of the people they lead. Sometimes the people HAVE to take direct action to push for this.

I always wonder how they get to their protest sites. Do they all cycle/walk miles? Or are they all conveniently located next to public transport? How does the protesting affect the work they do and therefore the taxes they pay? I know if I had my face plastered on social media or received a criminal penalty, it would be gross misconduct and I would be sacked.

@RagingRagingAndMoreRaging

daimbarsatemydogsbone

There isn’t time to wait for the next election. We need to change really quickly - we were poised to do this, I think, and then covid happened and focus changed. This is a global emergency- not something that can wait - it transcends geographical boundaries and party politics. It’s too important to wait and see if ‘the people’ vote for extinction or not.

Lots of people wouldn’t have voted for seat belts in cars but legislative measures were put in place because the science was that it would (and has) saved lives. There is no other option if we want to survive as a species. Sometimes Governments HAVE to do things that are unpopular for the safety of the people they lead. Sometimes the people HAVE to take direct action to push for this.

So we need to abolish democracy ?

I can see a few issues with that TBH.

@Stellaris22

I find it hard to believe protestors do this 'because it's fun'. It's frustration and desperation at continual failure of governments. It can't be business as usual and we need a dramatic shift in energy policies which we aren't getting. Not finding these issues important is ignorance. Of course people are rightfully angry and protesting.

Why weren't they active during winter then?

jytdtysrht

What about the impact on people because of climate chaos - which will only get worse - which is what the protesters are trying to highlight?

Already we are seeing floods, fire and food shortages due to climate change. This will only get worse.

What should a human being do to try to save us from the worst of climate change when ALL other options haven’t led to enough change? What’s the alternative? Just sit, roll our eyes and say ‘oh well, let’s just let millions die, because really, this is just too inconvenient. Let’s allow a mass extinction event because we don’t want to inconvenience people.’

I’m thankful that people are willing to incur the wrath of others and risk jail time to try and save us from the worst effects of climate change.

Compulsory seatbelts is hardly comparable with the massive changes climate activists advocate is it? Also whilst there is a large degree of compliance I also see people driving without their belt on daily - and people using their phones whilst driving - these are things that largely rely on goodwill. Most of what climate change protesters are seeking would be massive changes to our entire daily lives that were not in any way optional and would have to have 100% compliance - presumably enforced by the draconian type measures they argue against for protests.

Yanu. This current lot blocking the fuel lorries need to be arrested.

@RagingRagingAndMoreRaging

jytdtysrht

What about the impact on people because of climate chaos - which will only get worse - which is what the protesters are trying to highlight?

Already we are seeing floods, fire and food shortages due to climate change. This will only get worse.

What should a human being do to try to save us from the worst of climate change when ALL other options haven’t led to enough change? What’s the alternative? Just sit, roll our eyes and say ‘oh well, let’s just let millions die, because really, this is just too inconvenient. Let’s allow a mass extinction event because we don’t want to inconvenience people.’

I’m thankful that people are willing to incur the wrath of others and risk jail time to try and save us from the worst effects of climate change.

Unless you are successful in ending democracy, most protests of the type we've seen will be counter-productive. You'd be better off arming yourselves and staging a coup so you can impose a government that does what you want.

daimbarsatemydogsbone

You have deliberately misinterpreted me. I’m not suggesting we don’t get to vote, but when Government decisions mean life or death, it transcends political policy. It’s not about whether we want this or not. It’s a global necessity for the sake of survival. Banning direct action protests is the slippery slope to doing away with democracy.

They want houses to be better insulated…
They want renewable energy at forefront of energy production…

What is so hard to tolerate about that?

@RagingRagingAndMoreRaging

There isn’t time to wait for the next election.

You have deliberately misinterpreted me. I’m not suggesting we don’t get to vote,

OK then.

@RagingRagingAndMoreRaging

They want houses to be better insulated… They want renewable energy at forefront of energy production…

What is so hard to tolerate about that?

Quite, what they are asking for would save me and my family money if it were done. This is why our shit government won't do it - the government do not want energy to cost me less, they want me to pay high bills.

@RagingRagingAndMoreRaging

They want houses to be better insulated… They want renewable energy at forefront of energy production…

What is so hard to tolerate about that?

Well they are pretty nebulous demands for one thing. They sound like laudable ideas but I need to understand the practicalities before I can agree to break out the superglue and join in in the hope of derailing the government's current priorities.

As boring as it is, we tend to expect political parties to set out their programme and then vote on that - and although we love to moan when they don't stick to their promises - the idea they should immediately do stuff because people start gluing themselves to things doesn't seem very democratic.

@RagingRagingAndMoreRaging

They want houses to be better insulated… They want renewable energy at forefront of energy production…

What is so hard to tolerate about that?

Protest by all means but cycle or walk there and don't block public highways.

And so called renewable energy is often just putting money into the pockets of companies who are anything but green but have good pr. Covering hills in wind farms and destroying the natural environment by building tracks to get to them is hardly green. Electricity isn't particularly green either, its just low emission. The production of insulation itself isn't very green either - older houses were traditionally built of straw bales and in fact these can be used in modern builds, but most of the people who are protesting are undoubtedly living in new build housing estates because they "need" a 4 bedroom detached house.

the idea they should immediately do stuff because people start gluing themselves to things doesn't seem very democratic No, protest is and always has been a vital part of democratic ctivity between elections.

There is a reason the UK system is referred to as an 'elective dictatorship' - because without protest/campaigning the majority party can hide behind their mandate in the face of changed priorities.

Many of our issues go back to our undemcratic FPTP system.

Climate action is supported by a majority in opinion polls. FPTP has elected a party that is anti-climate action.

Quite, what they are asking for would save me and my family money if it were done. This is why our shit government won't do it - the government do not want energy to cost me less, they want me to pay high bills.

I didn't vote for this government and have never voted Tory (Labour, Green and Lib dem at various times/places for what it's worth), but I'd be cautious about whether Extinction Rebellion or their mates would be advocating stuff that saved me money - it may do, it may not. We are all paying a lot extra in standing charges which insulation wouldn't help at all - that has been caused by the government making us pay for their failed experiment in privatisation and a pretend free market.

@daimbarsatemydogsbone

Quite, what they are asking for would save me and my family money if it were done. This is why our shit government won't do it - the government do not want energy to cost me less, they want me to pay high bills.

I didn't vote for this government and have never voted Tory (Labour, Green and Lib dem at various times/places for what it's worth), but I'd be cautious about whether Extinction Rebellion or their mates would be advocating stuff that saved me money - it may do, it may not. We are all paying a lot extra in standing charges which insulation wouldn't help at all - that has been caused by the government making us pay for their failed experiment in privatisation and a pretend free market.

If you use less energy, it costs less money. If you insulate, you use less energy.

Standing charges are another matter.

Many of our issues go back to our undemcratic FPTP system.

I 100% agree and often post to say so - sadly there doesn't seem to be widespread support for a change to that.

If you use less energy, it costs less money. If you insulate, you use less energy.

Standing charges are another matter.

Not really - the savings are much smaller if standing charges make up a higher proportion of your bill, and if insulation cuts the income of energy companies, the regulator might agree they can increase charges. It's not a simple equation.

Please understand I don't (and haven't) supported this government. I voted Labour last time.