Together with 60,000 people and 200 organisations, we took part in XR’s The Big One, four days of action 21-24 April, around Parliament to force the UK government to act on the climate emergency. Alongside the big actions, many events were held by groups across a wide range of issues.
Getting ready at the Crossroads Women’s Centre. Claire and Heulwen making placards. Cristel and team making the Women Care yellow banner on a big table. Behind them, Kay and team making the tabards (sleeveless tops) on sewing machines.
Day 1, #Unite to survive
People’s Picket of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
Hosted by Extinction Rebellion Disabled Rebels, XR Grandparents and Elders, with Disabled People Against Cuts, we picketed Caxton House, the headquarters of the DWP. Claimants spoke out against the brutality and insecurity of the disability benefits system. We demanded our benefit and pension rights, older and younger, immigrant and UK-born. Against benefit sanctions and cut-offs of mothers, forced deductions for energy bills.XR Grandparents and Elders picketted the DWP at the front and side entrancesWe highlighted how the raising of retirement age has hit older women. Women in our late 50s and early 60s are shocked at being made to do job search as a condition of benefit, when we are not just older but often have illness and disabilities from a lifetime of work which harms our health. Women in poorer and post-industrial areas need disability benefits around 10 years earlier than in better-off places. Speaking out against benefit cuts and deaths of sick and disabled people caused by DWP brutality. We remembered Elaine Morrall, Lilian Oluk and baby Lynne Matumba, Philippa Day, Jodey Whiting…We protested that the DWP is appealing against Helen Timson’s court win against benefit deductions without consent to pay off energy and water companies. Last year, a judge ruled that claimants must have a say before “Third Party Deductions” are made and we are impoverished.The authorities had closed the main door to Caxton House and blocked it with metal crash barriers, so we decorated these with our banners. XR Grandparents and Elders went to the side entrance which staff were using, and sang songs.Opposite Downing St, we met Lani with baby Eliot and Terese.
“Women Care” Speak Out, Downing St
Diverse networks of mothers, grandmothers, other carers and people with disabilities spoke out on refusing poverty, the devaluing of caring and cuts in benefits, and the criminalisation of protests. The government wants to cut mothers’ and disabled people’s benefits, to force us “back to work” regardless of needs, wishes or poverty wages – stealing our survival entitlements to enrich fossil fuel polluters and other destructive industries. Raising children and coping with disability and ill-health is essential work which should be supported not punished.
Women from the Disabled Mothers’ Rights Campaign, East London Unite Community, Judicial Review Implementation and Monitoring Group (Norfolk), Newham Disability Reps Forum and WinVisible took part in discussions to plan the Speak Out and sent voice messages too.
Here are some of the many speakers.
Trinity from the All African Women’s Group spoke against theft from Africa and the government’s cruel immigration policies which deny refugee mothers fleeing to the UK, reunion with our children left behind. Tina Rothery tells how the Nanas Against Fracking won the ban against fracking in Lancashire and the UK. Fracking is a type of drilling the land for gas which pollutes the air and water, and the drilling triggers earthquakes.Lourdes Huanca, President of @FENMUCARINAP (national federation of indigenous, rural & other women of Peru) spoke about their resistance to mining and against the military dictatorship who are backed by the international mining companies. Heulwen from WinVisible (on left) spoke against nuclear energy. She said it is not clean, green or safe. Her health was affected by radiation from the Windscale nuclear power plant fire in 1957 which spread from Cumbria to Wales and beyond. The plant is now called Sellafield.A lot of people were glad to see our placard and took pictures, as nuclear energy is wrongly put forward as the answer to fossil fuels.We joined the big march which came past Parliament
DAY 2, #Earth Day
Marilyn Reed (on mic) called for justice for her daughter Sarah Reed who died in Holloway Prison in 2016. Sarah was arrested for resisting an attempted sexual assault in psychiatric hospital. Janey Starling from No Births Behind Bars also spoke. Part of Saturday’s #Mumia birthday event for those wrongly imprisoned.
Then we joined the The Big One for Biodiversity march, which culminated in a symbolic die-in at 3pm to call attention to all the species now extinct or under threat of extinction.
The die-in on 22 April, a very powerful peaceful action by thousands of people.Looking down Millbank at the die-in. Colleagues and WinVisible women are next to the Red Rebel Brigade procession. It was a really impressive protest against destruction of life on earth.
DAY 3, Running out of time
Sunday 23 April was the London Marathon as well as Extinction Rebellion events.
Climate Justice = Migrant Justice
20,000 Small Boats Action
At the Home Office, people made thousands of origami pink paper boats to be posted to MPs and Home Secretary Suella Braverman, printed with a letter against the Illegal Migration Bill and welcoming people seeking asylum in the UK.
Click here for more about the rally co-hosted by Global Women Against Deportations. Refugee and UK-born disabled women who could not get to the event, were thrilled to watch the livestream on The Big One TV YouTube (starts 4:45).
Folding the boats
DAY 4, Choose your future
The March to End Fossil Fuels
We were thrilled to meet the Greenwash Busters from Bristol. They make fun of the fossil fuel companies’ claim to care about the environment, and claim that “carbon capture” enables them to carry on polluting. Our placard against nuclear energy as “clean, green and safe”, belonged with them. A sense of humour is very important!
We were at the Finale around Parliament, but the rain was torrential and we could not stay long!
The Big One was very encouraging and it was great to find out what so many people are doing.