Extinction Rebellion declare 'open rebellion' against Wandsworth Council

Extinction Rebellion have declared themselves in an 'open rebellion' against Wandsworth Council for their 'climate failures'.

On Wednesday 7 April, four demands for addressing the climate emergency were posted on the doors of Wandsworth Town Hall.

A giant envelope containing a letter setting out the demands was presented to a Council worker, who promised to deliver it to the Council leader Ravi Govindia.

Earlier in the day, all Councillors received an individual email setting out the demands in full.

Three speakers explained the four sets of demands, which are around air pollution, trees and green spaces, food waste collections and divestment from fossil fuels.

On the previous evening of 6 April, posters setting out the four demands appeared across the borough, with messaging in Tooting, Balham, East Putney and Clapham Junction proclaiming: 'Wake Up Wandsworth Council: Time to act on the climate emergency.'

This marked the launch of XR Wandsworth's 'Wake Up Wandsworth!' campaign, which will run for at least a year in the run-up to the local council elections.

One Extinction Rebellion Wandsworth member said: "With this small act of defiance, we declare that we are in open rebellion against Wandsworth Council."

The group say a sustained campaign of non-violent direct action will follow.

A video making clear XR Wandsworth's 'frustrations at the lack of progress' and set of demands has been released to mark the launch of the Wake Up Wandsworth campaign.

Ahead of the next election of Wandsworth Councillors in May 2022, XR Wandsworth says they will assess whether the Council has met their demands.

A spokesperson said: "We look forward to sharing the Council's successes – and will not hesitate to share their failures – with the electorate, using local press, social media and any other means necessary to ensure we reach every household in the borough."

XR Wandsworth's four demands to the Council are:

1. Reduce air pollution to within legal levels by May 2022 and call a Citizens' Assembly to consider how to do this.

2. Stop the destruction of mature trees and green spaces now and plant more trees and create new green spaces.

3. Introduce food waste collection pilots now and roll out the scheme across the borough by May 2022.

4. Divest its pension fund from fossil fuels by September 2021 and increase investments in green infrastructure.

Part of the letter to councillors by XR Wandsworth reads:

"We could not have been more pleased when Wandsworth Council declared a climate emergency in July 2019.

"But we have been dismayed by the lack of progress towards meeting the targets set out in the action plan."

You can watch a livestream of the town hall action here.