Weekly meetings are back

It was lovely to see so many rebels at our first in person meeting of 2021. It was nice to catch up with so many of you. If you couldn’t make it not to worry – we’ll be meeting weekly in person on Wednesdays at 7pm. Our next meeting is at the railway arches by Waitrose. Here’s how to find us.

We started with an overview of the recent successes against Shell; a debriefing from our own local rebels on the recent jury trial, and another moment to celebrate with the Netherlands ruling that Shell must reduce their emissions by 45% compared to 2019 levels. Both of these actions show the successes that our movement and others like us can achieve.   

Rebooting XR Stroud 🎊

We’re keen to hear your ideas about what our group should do next. We also need people to step forward as coordinators to help us with organising actions and meetings. There are many roles that you can do, and we’ll be happy with any time you can spare. There is a Stroud XR coordinators meeting tomorrow 31 May at 7pm at the Trinity rooms in Stroud for anyone that would like to help.

Our last meeting went really well and we had great turnout, so now is a great time to come back and meet with us again. Join us next week if you can.

G7 drowning in promises protest in Cornwall – 11 to 13 June 🌊

There will be a big group of us from Stroud going down to Cornwall to protest at the G7 conference. Please contact us or reply if you’d like to come with us. We really recommend that everyone going is part of an affinity group. Let us know your plans and we’ll make sure you have a Stroud-based group to look after you. There are also people with spaces in their cars and vans if you would like to car share for travel.

I’ve prepared a guide for anyone that needs information on what’s happening in Cornwall and when. Including what actions are happening on what days as well as travel and camping information, including where to find out more information using Telegram.

Banner drops and beacons 🔥

Want to help with G7 but can’t travel at the moment? We’re looking for people to help with banner drops in our local area leading up to the G7, and banner making so we can take as many banners as possible for G7 delegates to see. We’re also looking to light local beacons around Stroud to raise awareness. Please contact us or reply to get involved with either campaign.

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Upcoming actions – save the date 📅

🚫 The rebellion weekend on June 26 to 27

🚮 Local incinerator action 16 to 17 July with XR Glos (more info TBC)

✊ UK-wide rebellion in London from August 23 (more info TBC)

🚶‍♀️Camino marchers (walking from Spain) will be in Stroud on September 11 – it would be nice to greet them

📣 COP 26 in Glasgow in November.

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Other upcoming events 📅

✊ Roger Hallam is coming to Stroud on 17 June (at the Centre for Science & arts) to give his reasons to be cheerful speech

📣 Penny would like us write to our MP Siobhan Baillie as concerned citizens of Stroud (not as XR) to encourage her to support the CEE bill. The call to action is to ask her to make a public declaration of support even if she feels unable to support an early day motion.

🥁Samba are practicing weekly again. New people are very welcome. Full training and instruments are provided. Please visit our samba page on the website to find out more. 

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I’m pleased to confirm that we will start meeting in-person again on Wednesday 26 May at 7pm.

We’ll be meeting outdoors at the Railway arches by the canal (near Waitrose). Look at this page for directions.

Please bring something to sit on, like a camping chair, mat or cushion.

We’ve all coped with the impact of the pandemic as best we can, and now it’s time to remind everyone else not to forget about the climate emergency.

Please join us to discuss what we as a group would like to do next – particularly about the Cornwall Rebellion on June 11.

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Upcoming events to discuss

🌊 G7 protest in Cornwall from June 11

🚫 the coalition rebellion weekend on June 26 to 27

✊ UK-wide rebellion in London from August 28 (more info TBC)

🌳 Ongoing HS2 rebellion

📣 COP 26 in Glasgow in November.

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Hope to see you on Wednesday.

Here’s some information on the Shell 7 success, and a little info on what’s to come from XR Stroud. Congratulations to all of the Shell 7, we’re so proud of you.

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Shell 7 background

On Friday 23rd April, a jury at Southwark Crown Court, trying six of the Shell 7 for criminal damage found them not guilty.  Katerina had already pleaded guilty because as a breast-feeding mother with three young children she could not attend court in London for a two-week trial.    

After the defendants had given their evidence, the judge had advised the jury that there was no defence in law, although he did allow them to consider Sid’s defence that he believed he had the owners’ consent – a defence which Sid argued brilliantly.  

The verdict

The decision was amazing in so many ways. First, it illustrated the advantages of self-representation; the jury were able to respond to the defendants at a human level.  All six of us represented ourselves, so we spoke directly to the jury about who we are, what we had done and why.  At the heart of the whole judicial circus was this simple process of one ordinary person explaining something to twelve other ordinary people. Because we represented ourselves, in explaining why we had acted as we did, we were allowed to say why we believed there is an emergency, why we believed the government was failing, and why we believed Shell’s crimes dwarfed ours.  

Second, the jury took account of other considerations than the law; it would be wrong to say they ignored the law but they did decide that it was wrong in not taking account of the extraordinary circumstances of the climate and ecological emergency. Their oath was to deliver a true verdict according to ‘all the evidence’, and that’s what they did.  

Third, the jury’s decision to give greater weight to those other circumstances than to the letter of the law, shows that when ordinary people learn about the emergency they can take extraordinary decisions. The unfolding catastrophe is real and people will act if they are given the facts. That gives hope for citizens’ assemblies.

Fourth, the not-guilty verdict cannot be ascribed to hypocrites or crusties: this decision belonged to a cross-section of the community of Southwark, inner-city London residents–across class, age, gender, race. The mainstream media, the trolls and the Home Secretary cannot say it’s just XR extremists.  

The aftermath

It was an emotional experience as well as an exhaustingly steep learning curve. As the verdict was delivered, defendants and jury members alike were in tears – even the judge remarked that it was ‘an interesting case’. Afterwards, we stood outside to soak in what felt like a historic moment, albeit a tiny one. Already, there are encouraging signs that its significance is rippling outwards.

The court stands beside the Thames overlooking the Tower of London, HMS Belfast, and the towers of the City. It felt like our moment with the jury stood at a confluence of history – law, the state, the military and free-market capitalism. And the rising waters will one day soon engulf the court.  

On the following Tuesday, Kat went to court for sentencing. The judge had said he would take into account the jury’s decision on the other six, as well as her testimony about why she had pleaded guilty and she was given a six-month conditional discharge, no fines and no costs. The judge said he would look into her points about the unfairness of not admitting babies into court and the lack of baby-changing facilities.

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What’s happening next in XR Stroud

Finally there’s a lot on the horizon for us as a group. We have the G7 in Cornwall, the COP 26 at the end of the year, the end of June kill the bill movement, and new rebellions of one being planned. As well as a full rebellion from August 28.

Now spring is in full force it’s time to start planning what we as a group want to do with the rest of the year. Start your own personal idea generation and we’ll be back in touch both on email and website with info on our next meetings.