Who are the main people and organisations coming between the UK people and policy progress to address the climate and ecological emergency?
Questions like this led Writers Rebel to organize an action in a quiet privileged street in the heart of the parliamentary district in London.
The Writers Rebel action in Tufton Street: No More Lies About Climate Change has now gone down in Extinction Rebellion history, and this week’s XR podcast chronicles that historic event. Compered by Mark Rylance and Juliet Stevenson, the line up was starry and included so many top literary and journalistic writers and thinkers that the podcast can only provide a selection.
It includes speeches by George Monbiot, Zadie Smith, Jay Griffiths, Caroline Lucas, Chloe Aridjis, Toby Litt and Charlotte DuCann.
It also includes the arrests of our presenter, and Writers Rebel co-founder, Jessica Townsend and of philosopher Rupert Read for spraying ‘Lies Lies Lies’ on the white pillars of Tufton Street and pouring blood down the steps (respectively).
The Tufton Street protest was organised in conjunction with Money Rebellion which launches this week.
Writers Rebel is in the process of organising its next event on Remembrance of Lost Species Day. Tickets and more information about On The Brink can be found here: https://writersrebel.com/act/
Correction: In the podcast Jessica refers to scaffolding poles and they were in fact bamboo poles.
Credits
Producers Phil Smith and Jessica Townsend
Presenters Jessica Townsend and James Miller
Editor Phil Smith
Social Media producer: Michaela Herrmann
Occasional music: Phil Smith
Jingle: Mark Richards at Mutiny Studios with music by Punch Deck