To risk arrest for protesting about the climate emergency?

[medicellen]

I have recently taken part in climate protests with Extinction Rebellion but have stopped short of activities that would lead to an arrest.

I am a scientist and it has been beyond doubt for some years that the climate emergency is accelerating.

And yet, global carbon emissions continue to increase. Our government is granting new licences for fossil fuels, whilst oil companies rake in massive profits. This is utter madness (aka "collective suicide" according to the lead of the UN).

I have an 8-year old son who says one day he might like to have children. I have avoided saying that this may be either not possible or not desirable due to the state of the climate by then.

Petitions, campaigning, pleas, marches have failed. In my mind, the only option left is civil disobedience. Mass arrests advanced the causes of suffrage and civil rights and I am now contemplating arrest as the only meaningful contribution I have left.

@DdraigGoch "Gluing oneself to the wing ought to do it."

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-58678274

Gluing oneself to the wing ought to do it

Good luck getting past the private security; who aren't going to be as restrained in their treatment of you as the police are.

one which isn't carrying many labourers and nurses to work

How do you know who is being carried?

(imagine the environmental destruction a crash would cause)

So, not concerned about people's lives then.

It’s so depressing that you consider having a child comparable to taking lots of foreign holidays. I don’t think we will agree so I’ll leave it there, but I appreciate your replies OP.

Although they do obviously carry essentials such as food and medical equipment. Still gluing yourself to the wing would do it. Sadly I'm sure someone would notice before the plane took off. But on the plus side you would end up in prison 👍 whilst other people are on the outside, jetting off on long holidays, driving their cars and throwing their recycling in to the trash. 👍 ✈️🛩️🚘🚘🚘🚘

YABU and you sound like you're in a cult.

Shame on you for making your own child anxious about their future. That will come back to bite you in the arse.

You're not going to achieve anything except hurting people. If you're a scientist, find a way to contribute something good rather than harming others.

As I say, I've no objection to someone blocking a London-Amsterdam flight like that. The occupants should consider Eurostar.

But please leave ordinary workers alone.

Most nurses and labourers use cars/trains/buses to get to work. If any nurse is commuting by plane perhaps they're not as underpaid as we thought.

Just how much food is carried on an Amsterdam flight? Quite apart from the fact that there are plenty of alternatives to air-freighted asparagus from Morocco.

For sure. Really parents who behave in such a way that creates fear and terror in their child, damaging any sense of stability they might have for fear of parent going to prison are really not good parents at all. Social service should be involved with people who do this to their children. They care to claim about the environment and future generations, but they clearly don't care about the mental well being of their own children.

Food alongside all other sorts of cargo that is equally important are transported by plane. But I do really think you should go and glue yourself to a plan asap. Remove yourself from public by doing so.

Plane. Although gluing yourself to a more sensible plan would also be a good ide.

Go on, exactly what cargo would have been on the London City to Amsterdam flight upthread? And why couldn't it have gone by Eurostar?

@TheSomersetGimp - you really like having a go at me for imaginary crimes. Have you actually read the post?

I have avoided saying that this may be either not possible or not desirable due to the state of the climate by then.

Why do you think the word avoid might be in there?

@TheSomersetGimp - plus, social services might keep a straight face whilst you reported someone for talking to their child about the reality of climate change, and then wet themselves with laughter

Depends on the impact the parents behaviour has had on the child. You don't seem very well informed. I can assure you that social services would not be wetting themselves with laughter about a risk taking stupid feckless parent who regularly risks ending up in prison. Now would they be laughing at the damage and trauma caused to the child they now have to support as a result of their stupid dickhead parent.

Glad you find it funny though. But then climate change activists don't really care about much apart from the fame and drama in their own pitiful little lives.

@TheSomersetGimp - ok, so now I am wondering if you are a troll, in the traditional sense, ie a windup? Reporting someone to ss for emotional abuse that they have avoided inflicting is one step too bizarre

If so, it's a bit annoying, but at least you have kept the discussion going

Btw there is nothing funny about climate change

Agreed.

Yes people do get reported to social services for emotionally abusing their children. If you get arrested there is a reasonable chance the police would inform social services as well. Especially if they are going to be detaining you for quite some time. I'm not a troll. You do seem extraordinarily naive though. It seems to go with the territory.

Gluing oneself to the wing ought to do it

At Kidlington and Farnborough, for example, there are loads of private jets sitting on the tarmac. How will you know which ones are going take off?
Also, you can’t just walk up to them - each flight has a list of passengers who have to go through passport control after which they are escorted to the plane.
Lord Bamford or Elton John or whoever isn’t going to let a complete stranger accompany him to his plane.

I was vastly amused to read that Greta Thunberg's apparently not going to the COP27 meeting because she thinks it'll be "used as an opportunity for leaders and people in power to get attention"

An irony explosion perhaps?

Of course it's more difficult, but far more useful than blocking the M25. You're not going to save the planet the easy way.

To give her credit, she has said it like it is. COP27 (like those that went before it) is just an opportunity for politicians to burn a load of kerosene in order to preen their egos on the world stage. I'm quite disappointed that the Prime Minister lacked backbone, U-turning when the opposition squealed.

Of course it's more difficult, but far more useful than blocking the M25. You're not going to save the planet the easy way.

I agree, but your suggestion of gluing oneself to a private jet has got me thinking about the logistics of such an act.
You would need a mole in the jet owner’s office or at the airport who would tell you when the plane was going to be used. The very rich suit themselves about time so you may have a long wait.
Then you would need considerable ingenuity to get yourself across the tarmac and up to the jet.