Co-founder of Extinction Rebellion now plans hunger strike
Roger Hallam being arrested
|
54-year-old Roger Hallam, an environmental activist who lives on Putney Bridge Road, has been remanded in custody after being charged with conspiracy to cause criminal damage.
He was one of five people who appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 25 August and have been detained ahead of a plea hearing on Tuesday 22, September.
Mr Hallam was arrested at his home on Monday 24 August. Four other members of the Beyond Politics group were also detained at the same time ahead of what was believed to be some form of organised disruption. All five say they now intend to start an indefinite hunger strike against what they describe as the injustice of their imprisonment.
Beyond Politics undertakes non-violent direct action with the intention of bringing down the government. It wants to create Citizens’ Assemblies that can make laws.
Before his incarceration Mr Hallam wrote,” “Humankind is facing its final moment of reckoning: ecological and climate collapse. Are we going to stand by and allow the f**kers in control of this world to take us to oblivion or a hell of endless pain, for their own pleasures? or, are we going to come together and say, we are the people and we will not be denied?”
One of the other detainees was 56-year-old Steven Nunn, an ordained Anglican priest who has four children and six grandchildren. He believes radical action of the kind espoused by Beyond Politics is necessary saying, , “I now believe that their approach, their attitude, their plans and their hopes is the way forward. I think now is the time for a much more radical approach. Whether that be legal whether that be illegal . Whether that involves going to prison or whether it doesn’t. Something needs to happen so that people will stand up and listen.”
Retired GP, 61-year-old, Diana Warner from Bristol was also jailed. She said, “I am a retired GP and a mother of two. Just before I retired I was examining a 6 week old baby and I realized that I have to help her to have a good and fulfilled life, a happy life. And if I’m willing to do that I have to set about changing the systems of our world which are destroying itself. And so I am fully involved with Beyond Politics.”
A documentary ‘The Troublemaker’ was released last Friday, featuring Mr Hallam giving his views.
Beyond Politics Party UK is part of the global movement, Burning Pink an international network which believes citizen assemblies rather than parliamentary democracy can provide the solution to the challenges of climate change. Although most of their activists were formerly Extinction Rebellion activists they are no longer associated.
Like Reading Articles Like This? Help Us Produce More This site remains committed to providing local community news and public interest journalism. Articles such as the one above are integral to what we do. We aim to feature as much as possible on local societies, charities based in the area, fundraising efforts by residents, community-based initiatives and even helping people find missing pets. We've always done that and won't be changing, in fact we'd like to do more. However, the readership that these stories generates is often below that needed to cover the cost of producing them. Our financial resources are limited and the local media environment is intensely competitive so there is a constraint on what we can do. We are therefore asking our readers to consider offering financial support to these efforts. Any money given will help support community and public interest news and the expansion of our coverage in this area. A suggested monthly payment is £8 but we would be grateful for any amount for instance if you think this site offers the equivalent value of a subscription to a daily printed newspaper you may wish to consider £20 per month . If neither of these amounts is suitable for you then contact info@neighbournet.com and we can set up an alternative. All payments are made through a secure web site. One-off donations are also appreciated. Choose The Amount You Wish To Contribute . If you do support us in this way we'd be interested to hear what kind of articles you would like to see more of on the site – send your suggestions to the editor. For businesses we offer the chance to be a corporate sponsor of community content on the site. For £30 plus VAT per month you will be the designated sponsor of at least two articles a month with your logo appearing if supplied. If there is a specific community group or initiative you'd like to support we can make sure your sponsorship is featured on related content for a one off payment of £50 plus VAT . All payments are made through a secure web site. |
August 28, 2020
