XR Action: We are the Dead Canaries

STOP THE EXPANSION OF BRADLEY OPENCAST COAL MINE. END COAL NOW.

ACTIONS:

On the 26-28th February, XR Durham and XR North East invite you and rebels from across the UK to take a stand and join in the mass actions to shut down the Bradley Opencast Mine. This action is part of an escalating series of actions.

WE NEED YOU!

Arrival Tues 25th: Public transport and shuttle buses to take people to accommodation from Durham and Newcastle stations. Some XR regions are providing transport directly. Further briefings on the days of action will be given at the accommodation.

Wed 26th – Fri 28th Feb during the daytime we will be at the mine with shuttle busses providing transport back to accomodation provided in the evenings.
Sat 29th Feb: Rebels to travel home.

REGISTER FOR ACCOMMODATION

XR will supply food and accommodation from the 25th of Feb through until the 29th.

There are indoor spaces for people to stay, please register on the links below and state if you need a bed as opposed to floor space. Please contact again if you register a space but can no longer make it.

We need rebels to help with transport, so please contact email hidden; JavaScript is required if you have access to a minibus or car.

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Not content with attempts to destroy Druridge Bay to mine millions of tonnes of coal in Northumberland, Banks Mining Group are now planning to expand their mining operations at the Bradley opencast coal mine in County Durham.

With coal power set to legally phase out in 2025 and just five operating coal power stations left in the UK, we’re in the midst of a dangerous new coal mining scramble at the expense of our climate, local communities and the natural environment.

Extinction Rebellion North East are joining forces with the local community to stop the expansion of the coal mine by any means necessary.

We can’t do this without your help.

We’re planning an escalating campaign of peaceful nonviolent civil disobedience bringing together hundreds of local people and activists to take a stand.

Why are we doing this?

The local community have tried everything to stop this mine. Over 3,000 people in Pont Valley logged planning objections to the mine, 55,000 petitioners demanded it’s rejection and Durham County Council rejected planning permission no less than three times before being overuled by the High Court.

Since then, Durham County Council have declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency.

The science is clear, we must act fast, end coal production in the UK and transition to a new green economy to avoid catastrophic climate change within our lifetimes.

While fossil fuels wreak havoc on our climate, their extraction is causing real pain right now. Residents of Pont Valley frequently complain of the misery of thick black and orange dust permeating their houses and their lungs, of loud explosions and constant noise from the massive mining machines.

Like community life, the mine has utterly destroyed a sensitive habitat for a range of protected species including rare newts, butterflies and birds – and damaged the continued prospects of the surviving species in the area.

Nine months ago the British Parliament declared a Climate Emergency.

Now we are calling on the UK Government to end it’s support for Bradley opencast mine and to end coal production in the UK by 2025.

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IMPORTANT LINKS

Please help us raise the necessary funds to support this event on our fundraising page:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/2-stop-the-expansion-of-bradley-opencast-coal-mine

To sign the objection letter to the council please follow this link from the Coal Action Network. Durham County council has already received over 3000 objection letters, please continue to send these in to raise the alarm:

Object to Banks proposed expansion of the Bradley opencast

For accommodation during the action please register on this eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/save-the-date-durham-26-28-february-tickets-90786351421

For arts ideas think: YELLOW and BLACK

For canary making costume ideas please follow this link:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t0ecqqwvmdpiv6w/AADVP0ptKfJvXNKteWmbG6hHa?dl=0&fbclid=IwAR225PNrn-L8wwrH7CI0LVv9PD0l6scJs30jw3MFqCvFyaeQO66IxSqBK0k&preview=XR_DeadCanaries_CostumeMaking_V1.pdf