Extinction Rebellion’s right to protest must be respected

Thursday was not an easy day to be a member of Extinction Rebellion (Movement split over tactics as travellers turn on activist who disrupted rail travel, 18 October). As families involved in the movement, we feel that now is not the time to condone or condemn, but to recognise and reflect on the very human desperation that has driven thousands of citizens to commit acts of nonviolent civil disobedience.

Despite more than 1,600 arrests over the last two weeks, the government is yet to respond with a clear plan of action to tackle the climate and ecological emergency. While we sound the alarm louder and louder, the government remains silent.

As families we aim to create a loving and inclusive rebellion that gives voice to and empowers our children and connects us as parents. We acknowledge that we still have not brought everyone with us on the issue of the climate crisis, and we have work to do to heal our divisions and give voice to those who are marginalised. Through our family-friendly spaces we hope to create a place where people can join us in a shared experience of community and love for the natural world that sustains us all.

Over the last two weeks we have brought all our hope, our courage and our creativity to bear; we have put our bodies on the line as we staged nurse-ins at Downing Street and at Google; we have watched the oldest in our community sacrifice their liberty in the hope that in doing so they will protect the future of the young.

Yes, all this should shock us. Not because these actions are extreme but because they are borne from the fact that we are in a real and present state of emergency. We are ordinary parents in an extraordinary time. This is a proportionate response.
Juliana Westcott, Karen James and Miranda Irwin Extinction Rebellion Families

• The Metropolitan police use of a Section 14 order to ban Extinction Rebellion’s protests across London (Report, 15 October) is arbitrary and unprecedented, and represents a serious attack on the right to protest. This right is a basic civil liberty which must be respected at all times.

As people who have organised and participated in a wide range of protests and demonstrations, we call on the Metropolitan police to withdraw the ban immediately, and to respect the long-held right to peaceful protest.
Diane Abbott MP, John McDonnell MP, Ian Lavery MP, Laura Pidcock MP, Rebecca Long-Bailey MP, Dan Carden MP, Danielle Rowley MP, Ian Mearns MP, Emma Dent Coad MP, Richard Burgon MP, David Drew MP, Marsha De Cordova MP, Imran Hussein MP, Karen Lee MP, Cat Smith MP, Mark Rylance Actor, Brian Eno Musician, John Pilger Journalist, George Monbiot Journalist, Lindsey German Stop the War, Murad Qureshi Stop the War, Kate Hudson CND, Ben Jamal Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Mark Serwotka PCS Union, Alex Kenny National Education Union, Daniel Kebede National Education Union, Andrew Murray Unite the Union, Steve Turner Unite the Union, John Rees People’s Assembly, Anas Altikriti Muslim Association of Britain, Angie Zelter XR Peace, Elijah Mackenzie-Jackson Student Climate Strike, Luke Cooper Another Europe is Possible, Asad Rehman Stop Trump Coalition, Weyman Bennett Stand up to Racism, Sabby Dahlu Stand up to Racism, Matt Willgress Stand up to Trump, Oliver Robertson Quakers in Britain, Rachel O’Brien London Young Labour, Artin Giles Labour Against Racism and Fascism, Aaron Bastani Journalist, Raoul Martinez Writer, Lowkey Rapper, Victoria Brittain Journalist, Vanessa Redgrave Actor, Andrew Feinstein Corruption Watch UK, Francesca Martinez Playwright/comedian, Shaista Aziz Labour Councillor

• The history of protest has many instances when a tactic or strategy didn’t work, was ill-conceived or counterproductive. The Extinction Rebellion protest that briefly halted trains in east London might fall somewhere in that area (Extinction Rebellion risks throwing away goodwill, Journal, 18 October). That doesn’t mean that protest on the climate emergency is not required and has some urgency. It also means that the right to protest needs to be protected and defended, in this case from the Metropolitan police. Effective protest that leads to real change is a difficult thing to achieve and historically has required what the sociologist Charles Tilly called an entire repertoire of contention. That is as true now as it was in the 1830s when the Chartists tried everything from petitions to a general strike and an armed rising to try and secure the vote.
Dr Keith Flett
London Socialist Historians Group

• I visited various Extinction Rebellion locations in central London last week – to see what was going on, listen to some talks, and join in a small demo against biofuels. I was somewhat disconcerted by the vast number of police on duty and their heavy-handed and disruptive tactics. For example, where highways such as Whitehall and Vauxhall Bridge were blocked it was not by protesters, but by the police, who in the case of Vauxhall Bridge were not even allowing pedestrians to cross. How can it be illegitimate and outrageous for “uncooperative crusties” to block roads but acceptable for the police to do so? But I have to report that the traffic-free London streets and bridges were delightful – safe, clean and quiet.
Marilyn Mason
Kingston upon Thames, London

• The Guardian’s editor-in-chief states “We believe the climate crisis is the most urgent issue of our times” and that “today the Guardian is making a pledge to our readers that we will play our part, both in our journalism and in our own organisation, to address the climate emergency” (Editor’s letter, 17 October). All highly commendable. Unfortunately on the same day you print two full-page adverts for companies offering global sea cruises, which are now recognised as being one of the major players in contributing to CO₂ emissions and climate change. One of them offers trips to view the sea-ice of Antartica (see it while it still exists).
Richard Terry
Stirling

• It is great to see that the Guardian has recognised that the “escalating climate crisis is the defining issue of our lifetimes” and that you intend to “cover issues across food, travel and lifestyle in order to help readers live sustainably”. A pity then that Guardian Holidays continues to send contradictory messages. Why does your Scottish Highland Railways tour, for example, include return flights (G2, 16 October)? Are there no trains to Scotland? Living sustainably? I think not.
Declan O’Neill
Oldham, Greater Manchester

• Tucked away on page 25, after all the Brexit mayhem, the most troubling article of the day was on the 2,000 tonnes of plastic waste created solely by Halloween merchandise (A real Halloween horror, 18 October). It was even sadder to see the list of some of the offending large retailers omitted Morrisons, for which there were two Halloween adverts on the preceding pages.
Jackie Ambrose
Watford, Hertfordshire

• Happy to stand bail for George Monbiot following his arrest on Wednesday (Mothers in Google climate action as protesters defy ban, 17 October).
Dr Peter B Baker
Prestwood, Buckinghamshire

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