Thread by @TempestofVHS

So I’m going to try and explain one of the most amazing moments I experienced at the #ExtinctionRebellion protests today. At Oxford Circus. We’d headed over from Marble Arch because word had spread about the arrests and they needed reinforcements.

We joined the crowd gathered round the pink boat, where people were talking about the importance of peaceful protest and coming together and solidarity. It was nice.

But police were shuffling through the crowd, choosing people to arrest. Peaceful, happy people, chosen at random, in an effort to break up this party.

Then someone on the boat told the central group of protestors to sit down. All at once. Together.

They did, leaving the police standing. Exposed and blatant. Suddenly arresting people wasn’t something they could hide in the crowd, seen only by those immediately nearby. We could ALL see.

The rest of us, that were standing, were a protective wall around the sitters, limiting access. Chanting started up ‘we’re non violent, how about you?’. The police (both inside the circle and outside at the edge) were looking rather awkward by now...

(I should point out, many of them seemed unhappy about having to arrest people and were clearly just following orders, we managed to chat to a few friendly ones earlier in the day who were very nice!)

Eventually the group of police standing among the sitters went through with arresting the man they’d been talking to. They started to carry him away. We cheered him, called out that we loved him, that he was a hero, and applauded as he was lead away.

Very few of the police returned. Another arrest happened on the other side of the boat and got the same response. They gave up. They didn’t want to do it. They left us to wrap up the talks and singing they’d interrupted.

It was beautiful, joyful, and one of the best examples of Peaceful Protest I’ve ever seen. There was no malice or anger, just support and love and bearing witness in a way that showed we wouldn’t be beaten. It was inspiring as heck.

Thanks for that.