Extinction Rebellion

October 28, 2019

Extinction Rebellion is an environmental organization with the stated objective of attempting “to halt mass extinction and minimise the risk of social collapse.” It was founded in the United Kingdom in 2018 and has grown into a highly disruptive group of protestors that climb on top of airplanes and trains in London. According to Extinction Rebellion co-founder Roger Hallam, “the third thing you’ve got to do is break the law. There is absolutely no point in trying to do something on climate change if millions or thousands of people aren’t breaking the law.” The former head of the Metropolitan Police Counter Terrorism Command, Richard Walton, said the group is seeking “the breakdown of democracy and the state.”

The group’s attempts to disrupt everyday life in London have drawn high-profile support. More than 100 celebrities signed an open letter in support of Extinction Rebellion and admitted that they are climate hypocrites. Earlier this year, Radiohead released an album of hacked songs and gave all proceeds to the group.

Extinction Rebellion’s brand of protest will likely be exported to the United States in the near future.

Who founded Extinction Rebellion?

One of the co-founders of Extinction Rebellion is Gail Bradbrook. Bradbrook is a PhD who started Extinction Rebellion after a psychedelic trip in Costa Rica:

“I don’t make decisions to fly readily these days, but I decided to travel to Costa Rica where in the space of two weeks I ingested a flood dose of Iboga (a type of tree bark), worked with Kambo (the frog medicine) and had three experiences with Ayahuasca. I was terrified, but the reason why I pushed my consciousness to such extreme wasn’t just to do the inner work on myself – I wanted answers to how I could bring about social change.”

Roger Hallam, the other co-founder, was an organic vegetable farmer in Wales before his crops failed. In September, he was arrested and charged with plotting to attempt to disrupt Heathrow Airport by flying a drone through its airspace.

Who is funding Extinction Rebellion?

Extinction Rebellion claims that it is crowdfunded, but it has received at least £50,000 from one of the richest men in the UK, Sir Christopher Hohn, and possibly more from his Children’s Investment Fund Foundation. Hohn is a hedge fund manager with a history of investing in coal. Hohn’s fund was an activist investor in Coal India, though the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation has signed a divestment pledge on fossil fuels. As an investor, Hohn fought the Indian government in an attempt to charge higher prices.

The group has also received money from Greenpeace and Aileen Getty, whose family made its fortune in the oil business.

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