Thread by @AJEnglish

THREAD 🧵

Today marks the 52nd anniversary of #EarthDay 🌍

In honour of Mother Earth, we share the story of how UK activists fought a major 1990s road-building plan and started Britain’s environmental rebellion 👇

🔗: aje.io/earthday

In 1989, the UK’s Conservative gov’t announced its $19bn road-building plan, worth $43bn in today’s money.

It was called Roads for Prosperity, “the biggest road programme since the Romans”.

🔗: aje.io/earthday | #EarthDay

However, this meant some of the UK’s most pristine nature would be threatened. From 1992 to 1996, anti-roads activists stood together with determined acts of resistance.

And a new type of protest was born.

🔗: aje.io/earthday | #EarthDay

Protesters set up encampments along routes in the UK that were set for demolition.

They were clinging and attaching themselves to construction vehicles and trees.

🔗: aje.io/earthday | #EarthDay

In Newbury, nearly 800 people were arrested for trying to protect some 10,000 ancient trees which eventually fell to make way for the bypass.

🔗: aje.io/earthday | #EarthDay

A young woman named Cake climbed on a silver birch and stayed there for almost 3 hours in the cold to protect it from being cut down.

🔗: aje.io/earthday | #EarthDay

The protest's goal was to slow down construction, raise their expenses on security & attract public sympathy.

By 1997, when an environmentally-conscious Labour gov’t came to power, the Conservatives had already abandoned the roads plan.

🔗: aje.io/earthday | #EarthDay

With their traffic-stopping acts of civil disobedience, the UK's climate movement has evolved into Reclaim the Streets as well as today's Extinction Rebellion (XR) and Insulate Britain.

🔗: aje.io/earthday | #EarthDay

What lessons does this story hold for today's climate movement and how will you honour #EarthDay 2022?

Let us know below 👇 aje.io/earthday