A Donegal branch of the Extinction Rebellion activist group has been launched this week.
The group, known as XR, is part of an international movement that uses non-violent civil disobedience to highlight the climate change crisis. The aim of XR is to get governments to “tell the truth” about the environmental emergency and to take action against climate change.
In cities such as London and Dublin, the group has engaged in protests by blocking traffic and staging ‘die-ins’, where they pretend to be dead.
Young and old attended the launch of the Donegal XR branch on Wednesday at the Letterkenny Town Park.
Caroline Kuyper at the launch of Extinction Rebellion Donegal
The audience heard Clare Thompson read from the Extinction Rebellion Declaration stating that “Humanity finds itself embroiled in an event unprecedented in its history. One which, unless immediately addressed, will catapult us further into the destruction of all we hold dear: this nation, its peoples, our ecosystems and the future of generations to come.”
The group is part of a Derry-Strabane /Donegal collective and will support the development of autonomous local groups across the county. An information evening will take place on 21st August at 7pm in the Community Centre, Letterkenny. A further meeting to formalise the group will take place on 2nd September at 7 pm.
Voicing her frustration at the poor response of government to the climate crisis Caroline Kuyper said, “I felt, with many others, that direct acts of disruption of ‘business as usual’ is the only option left at this point to force the issue onto the forefront of governments and corporations’ agenda.”
Natural beekeeper Aoife Valley pointed out that “when we act, we feel better. When we set intentions and follow through, we can relax a bit. This is not something we will fix individually. Joining XR is part of me doing my bit. I am hopeful we can sort this out.”
The meeting closed with a quote from broadcaster and naturalist David Attenborough who has said, “I feel an obligation; the only way we can get up in the morning is believe that, actually, we can do something about it. And I suppose we can”
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