Commuters Fight Back

Protest should be effective and have a clear aim.
Making it difficult to use public transport in what is claimed to be an environmental protest is just idiocy.
They also say that they are targetting businesses when they protest in the City but they treat all businesses the same.
With this kind of protest, it is about drawing attention to the issue - but there has to be a step 2 once they have people's attention and they seem to be stuck on the getting attention stage.
Now it needs to be very focused protests, policy suggestions and targetting politicians who are most likely to be naturally on that side.

I agree Oopsminty. Glad to hear other XR'ers have called them out over this.

Those demonstrating clearly are affluent to not need the daily grind those commuting are subject to.
In what manner those demonstrating. and I don't believe all are 'toffs/celebs. obtain an income would be most interesting to those who need this commuting in which to earn a living ?

They have started losing support from the working class person from day dot. Most don't seem to work!!
And if they had some intelligence rather than wasting police resources and upholding everyone from work why haven't they considered educating everyone in a controlled mild way. Fetes, fairs etc,,,,,going arround talking in schools, colleges etc,,,, I bet most of them fly like the actress who flews in last year. Do what I say not as I do!!

I totally agree with what XR stand for. I totally disagree with the way some of them are going about it. As with football hooliganism things like this will always attract people that just want to cause violence and disruption, and I'm very much afraid that this has happened; I'm sure they've been infiltrated by people with a totally different agenda.

XR are saying this is an own goal. And I think they've called off the Gatwick protest. I heard footage of one of the XR chaps explaining what they were doing as the event happened. Poor sods sat on the train ready to go to work and ambushed.

A step too far I think

Exactly CarlyD7.

has not had

They just want to draw attention to the emergency pinkquarz. A demonstration had to do the job.

Have you been following the demos this last couple of weeks at all pinkquarz?

sparklefizz

is correct it is in India and CHina that the next worst damage is coming from.

But also why do XR not target Big Businesses? they have the power.
Not men and women going to work on the tube!

Not sure that these actions will actually achieve anything, wouldn't it be better to glue signs saying 'Save up for an electric car' or 'Don't buy plastic bottles of water' etc to public buildings rather than gluing themselves to buildings or public transport. Or they could use megaphones out of cars (like politicians used to) and shout similar messages.
They may end up alienating the very people they're trying to reach with the current tactics. Change needs to come from practical everyday actions from the people. However, I still admire them for trying and I'm glad that we live in a country where we can still demonstrate etc.

Just talked to someone who knows a bit more about this than I do. XR isn't one group; it has no central committee or organisation; people don't sign up to it. This gives it both strengths and weaknesses. One of the strengths is that it can't be closed down or sued. One of the weaknesses is that literally anyone can join it and do anything as stupid as they want, e.g. leap on tube trains to gain publicity (and didn't that work ??? )

gonegirl

nothing closed minded about seeing that XR are hitting the wrong target.
They need to speak to the people who do not understand that the planet is in danger and also the ones that do the worst.
So speak to Big Business and don't upset ordinary workers.
It can't be that hard even for posh boys to get their heads around.

yeah they just proved that they don't understand that there are people who have to work for a living......
although I am totally for saving the planet I think XR have the wrong attention seeking methods.
Maybe the incident on Canning Town platform will give them a reality check of their own.

Target the big businesses not ordinary people trying to go to work!

Having read some of the comments on here, it seems that XR are actually alienating everyone. By doing so ,they are damaging the very cause they presume to support.
Being a nuisance to the public will get them anywhere.

Things were bound to boil over into physical conflict sooner or later. The protesters 'Holier Than Thou' pontificating (laced with - I suspect - a hefty dose of hypocrisy) is getting very wearing......

The Suffragettes provoked similar outrage and yet none of us disagree with their message. However much we dislike their protests, XR's core demands are sensible and reasonable: rebellion.earth/the-truth/demands/
If governments continue to underestimate the threat of climate change we'll all suffer a lot more inconvenience than XR are causing.

Strikes me as a bit daft to disrupt a service they want us to use. I have every sympathy with their cause, it's a worthy one, but things like this will, I agree, lost them support.

Think that now many of the general public are against them some will get badly hurt or maybe worse. They should protest outside council offices and parliament. Poll on tv this morning showed 95% against them.

@whitewavemark2 rational, that lot ! Irrational by definition, I think you mean rationale, but still a bunch of anarchist idiots

Children scared on their way to school watching idiots climb on trains. Selfish bastards.

For goodness sake Gonegirl when will you accept that not agreeing with their methods does not equate to "closed minded" and stop with the insults? Kicking someone in the head who is trying to remove you from the top of a train so that hundreds of people can get to work? Very commendable!

Two of the founders have endorsed and condoned it!

I would just mention that XR is made up of many separate groups. This action will not necessarily be condoned by the many.

....and the thread turns into yet another XR knocking one.

I will leave the closed minded ones to it.