Solidarity Statement With Climate Activists Facing Charges For Civil Disobedience

Solidarity Statement With Climate Activists Facing Charges For Civil Disobedience

People Before Profit stands in full solidarity with climate activists facing criminal charges on February 9th. We are sharing the following statement of support. Please fill out the form below if you would like to add your name to the statement:

https://forms.gle/5fNdf1hCAdLzhRiZ8

Statement:

We, ecosocialists, trade unionists, environmental scientists and advocates, climate justice activists and organisations call on the state to drop the charges against Orla Murphy and Zac Lumley. Their brave act of nonviolent civil disobedience, painting “No more empty promises” on the Department of Foreign Affairs on 28 March, 2021, was not a crime. It was an act of political protest against a state that has refused to follow the science and take the necessary action to rapidly reduce carbon emissions and halt the destruction to our ecosystems.

Ireland has missed target after target, racking up millions of euros in fines and condemning the poorest, most vulnerable people to extreme weather events, famine, and an uncertain future. Already millions of people are killed, displaced, or suffer deprivation from climate-related disasters. The people most affected today, and who will be most impacted in the future, are those who contributed the least to climate change.

The real crime is acknowledging that business as usual would result in potential societal collapse, declaring a climate and biodiversity emergency, but then doing virtually nothing to address it.

Orla Murphy and Zac Lumley were right to draw attention to the “empty promises” of the government and to demand they take immediate action. We need more people willing to stand up and call out the empty promises of “net-zero by 2050”.

We also note with serious concern how, rather than taking the necessary actions to reduce emissions, governments worldwide are instead introducing legislation to increase penalties against protestors. It’s clear they want to send a signal to anyone else who dares to draw attention to their inaction.

Protest is not a crime. In a time of mounting ecological and social emergencies, with few precious years to act, we must stand with those who dare to resist and join them in bringing attention to the failures of this government and governments around the world.

We demand:

Drop the charges against Orla Murphy and Zac Lumley

Immediate action to reduce emissions – no more empty promises

_________________________________

Bríd Smith, People Before Profit TD

Paul Murphy, People Before Profit TD

RISE

People Before Profit

Karen Smith, Lecturer in Equality Studies

John Molyneux, People Before Profit , Environment Caucus Convenor  and Global Ecosocialist Network Coordinator.

Cllr. Tina MacVeigh, People Before Profit

Theresa ODonohoe

Ailbhe Smyth, Climate Justice Coalition Ireland

Saoirse Sheehy Ariff – Postrgaduate Researcher UCD

Paul McCormack Cooney / Parent / Extinction Rebellion

Thomas Pringle TD

Gerry Carroll MLA

Natasha Ariff Self-employed Landscape Architect

Michela

Extinction Rebellion Ireland

Brian O’Boyle, TUI

Cllr Madeleine Johansson

global citizen

global citizen

Laura Kehoe, University of Oxford

Senator Eileen Flynn

Adrian Curran, People Before Profit

Sarah Hayes Extinction Rebellion

Jess Spear, National Organiser, RISE

Adrienne Wallace PBP Cllr

Barry McMullin

Ruth Coppinger

Devin Quinn, RISE / People Before Profit

Idil Bilgic/Auditor/UCD Women+ in STEM

Colin Coulter, Professor of Sociology, Maynooth University

Robert Wade, PhD researcher, Queen’s University Belfast

Rosie Meade, Lecturer, Cork, Ireland

Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, People Before Profit

John Barry, Professor, Queen’s University Belfast, University and College Union

Des Hennelly, People Before Profit

Kevin Handy, Extinction Rebellion Ireland

Memet Uludag

Patrick Bresnihan, Lecturer, Maynooth University

Darragh Adelaide

David Regan, Member, BECTU

Ruth Flood, People Before Proft

Tim Hannon PBP Clare

Kate Mooney Teachers Union of Ireland

Rohana Perera

Liam Butler, People Before Profit, Orla’s Classmate.

Laura Fahy

Petra Sheehan

Eliya Lavine

Collette O’Hagan, PBP, Unite the Union.

Steph Hanlon – Lecturer in Social, Political & Community Studies

Ailbhe Finegan, Solicitor

Katy Smyth

Anne Lawton Teacher INTO

Catriona Griffin

Richard Boyd Barrett TD

Cllr Melisa Halpin

Francis O’Reilly

Róisín McAleer

Patrick Rogerson

Róisín McAleer/APAN

Amelia Conophy

Gweebarra Conservation Group

Emma Hendrick

Meryl McGowan

Caroline Kuyper Extinction Rebellion Derry/Donegal

Vincent Kavanagh

Olivia Byrne/ PhD researcher

Kellie McConnell, People Before Profit, FORSA

Tom Roche – Founder Just Forests

National Animal Rights Association

Julia Hammond, Unison Rebel Elders (XR)

Fiona Boyd PBP SWN

Saoirse mchugh

Councillor Gino O’Boyle

Michael Cronin TCD

Róisín Cellarius

Ewelina Smolen

Aoife O’Sullivan, UCD undergraduate Science Student

suzanne kearney, artist and teacher

Holly English

Dr Camilla Fitzsimons

Ronan Browne, Mobilise Peace

Ronan Browne

Bhavini Patel , XR Hackney

Emma Ryan, science student UCD

Joe Moore, Anti Deportation Ireland

Patsy Moran

Cllr Kieran Mahon – Socialist Party

Cllr Melisa Halpin, People Before Profit

Richard Boyd Barrett TD, People Before Profit

VinuthaShivakumar

Cllr. Liam Sinclair – An Rabharta Glas

Fiona Boyd

Darryl Horan, Campaigns Officer UCD Students’ Union