
Extinction Rebellion Blockade Google HQ - willemmerson
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/extinction-rebellion-protests-london-latest-today-police-tube-underground-xr-news-a9158011.html
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adrianN
The continuing inaction of all governments leads to increasing radicalization
in the climate movement. I wonder how long before the protests stop being
peaceful.

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Mountain_Skies
That would be unfortunate as it would make it easy to discredit the entire
movement regardless of the underlying science.

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adrianN
I agree, but it only takes only one really desperate person to start bombing
refineries. If peaceful protests continue to have no effect, I fear that there
will be someone willing to do something like this.

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ramblerman
Do they have a manifesto, demands or plan somewhere?

It’s a bit sad to see the youth so pessimistic. Growing up with Star Trek
myself I always believed science would grow faster than human damage.

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claudeganon
[https://rebellion.earth/the-truth/demands/](https://rebellion.earth/the-
truth/demands/)

I see an incredible optimism in believing that power lies with the people and
mass movements, instead of indulging fantasies that some solution will be
handed down from on high, counter to the interest of wealthy and elite. Not to
mention that scientists have already endorsed what they’re doing:

[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/extinction-
rebell...](https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/extinction-rebellion-
protests-scientists-climate-change-london-amsterdam-a9154336.html)

If you actually want a Star Trek future, this is how you get it.

~~~
ramblerman
I could equally argue it's a fantasy to believe that you will curb human
greed, and/or bring a player like china to follow your rules.

In other words, I am pessimistic about humankind's ability to curb its wants,
but optimistic about scientific advancement, inventors of the future, and
unknown unknowns.

I hope we are both right though.

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9nGQluzmnq3M
This appears to refer to one of Google's London offices, not the Googleplex in
Silicon Valley.

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jrockway
To blockade that, all you need to do is schedule a concert at the Shoreline
Amphitheater.

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t0astbread
Have ER considered teaming with an organization dedicated to digital freedom
(like the EFF) for cases like this? Because just coming into a new space,
pressing your own demands and ignoring pre-existing efforts looks very
unprofessional (IMO at least).

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Bantros
Hopefully not, the EFF has a clear set of goals and principles

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throwawaysea
This. Extinction Rebellion is already being co-opted for unrelated issues.

> We demand a just transition that prioritizes the most vulnerable people and
> indigenous sovereignty; establishes reparations and remediation led by and
> for Black people, Indigenous people, people of color and poor communities

Their demands are somewhat nonsensical IMO:
[https://extinctionrebellion.us/](https://extinctionrebellion.us/)

> We do not trust our Government to make the bold, swift and long-term changes
> necessary to achieve these changes and we do not intend to hand further
> power to our politicians. Instead we demand a Citizens’ Assembly to oversee
> the changes, as we rise from the wreckage, creating a democracy fit for
> purpose.

They don’t trust the nebulous “government” and demand a group be placed into
power by citizens. So...a representative democracy? Like the one they’ve
failed to gain support within (to the extent they demand anyways)?

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pjc50
Those are absolutely not unrelated, in issues from Amazon logging to the
Dakota pipeline to Nigerian oil.

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cameronbrown
Yeah this isn't fun.

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michannne
I remember when the way to get people to "wake up" on creationism was to unite
sub-groups and pump out loads of content that rationally went over all the
scientific evidence against it and trusted people to make up their own minds,
including all of the debates between atheists/anti-creationism and pro-
creationism speakers.

Despite there being very little hope in rattling an entrenched belief like
that, many people began to think outside scope of their religion and
creationism is not as widely accepted as it once was.

I hope that in the future the new generation of rational believers on climate
change can adopt a similar non-violent mindset instead of letting their
passion get the best of them.

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brosinante
Ah, yes - we wouldn't want the web devs to feel bad on their way to work.

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conflictsablock
I think the point is that conflict and arguing doesnt change minds, it can be
used as a blocker to stop something but it doesnt affect the underlying
opinion of those on the other side.

So its really only ever of limited value

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throwawaysea
The protesters are rightly being arrested. Sorry but you don’t get to blockade
people from getting to where they want to go (work in this case) just because
you personally think your opinions/issues are a higher priority than others’
priorities. And climbing onto the roofs of private property is not a “peaceful
protest”, it is vigilantism. Furthermore some of the demands outlined in the
article (asking google to censor videos) are not reasonable.

~~~
thrower123
Environmental activists would do much better if they weren't so hell-bent on
being a pain in the ass and inconveniencing everyone else. All it accomplishes
is breeding distaste.

Maybe it's just me, but this kind of childish behavior doesn't make me
sympathetic, it engenders the complete opposite effect.

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adwww
Maybe they should write a petition or something. That ought to work right?

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quotemstr
What gives them a right to do anything that "work[s]"? If they can't get their
way through rational persuasion, they don't get to have their way at all.
That's how democracy works.

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perfunctory
> What gives them a right to do anything that "work[s]"?

Nothing. At least not the legal rights. They accept the arrest and
corresponding consequences. That's what civil disobedience is about.

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throwawaysea
Just a reminder that climate change is not an existential threat. A problem,
yes. An existential threat, no. Greta Thunberg and these activists are
hysterical and engaging in alarmism. But why take it from me? Here’s the
Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Washington, an expert
on the topic, saying as much: [https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2019/08/is-
global-warming-exi...](https://cliffmass.blogspot.com/2019/08/is-global-
warming-existential-threat.html)

~~~
deadbunny
It's almost as if they're having to use emotionally charged language to get
their point across after decades of no one paying any attention...

