Pedal rebels David and Andrew have donned the ‘Dump Santos’ message as they complete the grueling #TourDownUnder Challenge Tour.
They were followed by seven rebels who joined the tour in the final stretches with supporters cheering them on at the finish line.
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Tour Down Under security stepped out in front of the supporting riders, putting them at risk.
One rebel was dragged off their bicycle and grazed their knee. Their bicycle was also damaged.
"I love the #TourDownUnder. I want it to continue. But Santos is a major oil and gas producer. It's a big cause of the climate crisis." said Challenge Tour rider David.
"It's time we stopped helping them look respectable, and found another sponsor."
“Santos sponsors the #TourDownUnder to sanitise its reputation in the eyes of the public." said Andrew, another rider in the Challenge Tour.
"For the sake of our grandchildren, the State Government needs to give Santos the flick and find a new naming rights sponsor!”
The cycling community of Adelaide wants the state government to DUMP SANTOS!
Last week community organisation Bike Adelaide made a statement in support of the calls to dump Santos as #TourDownUnder sponsor.
Yesterday rebels directly confronted Santos' sportswashing with a surprise banner swarm ahead of the Men's Stage 2 race in Brighton.
We cannot allow Santos to buy social consent for oil & gas expansion in the midst of the climate crisis. On yer bike Santos!
⏰ Time is up for Climate!
⏰ Time is up for Santos!
On Tuesday night rebels gatecrashed the Tour Down Under Prologue Time Trial and staged a die-in.
We are in a race against the clock to end fossil fuels and decarbonise our society at an emergency speed.
These action took place on stolen Kaurna country.
We pay respect to Elders past and present. We acknowledge their sovereignty and ongoing resistance against the destructive forces of capitalism and colonialism which fuel the climate and ecological emergency.
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After participating in Extinction Rebellion Australia actions over the years, scientists and academics across many disciplines have launched Scientist Rebellion Australia.
“We, scientists and academics, believe we should expose the reality and severity of the climate and ecological emergency by engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience.
Unless those best placed to understand the emergency take action, then how can we expect the public to act?”
"Roughly ten years ago @SantosLtd went unpunished after spilling 250,000 litres of oil, narrowly avoiding widespread water contamination in Queensland,” said @XRSouthAus spokesperson Chris Johnson.
"Now they want to rip up the Pilliga Forest to establish 850 gas wells which would put the climate and the Great Artesian Basin, the largest artesian basin in the world, at risk,” said rebel Chris.
It’s time to kick fossil fuel sponsorship out of Aussie sport! 🖕
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@ANZ sponsors the @AustralianOpen and is one of the big four banks funding @SantosLtd, responsible for desecrating sacred Gomeroi Country and cooking the planet.
Santos sponsors the @TourDownUnder. Rebels have protested Santos’ sportswashing all week:
As rebels swarm the streets of Naarm, deathly fingers of @ANZ and @SantosLtd Business Execs are clutching briefcases stuffed with worthless dollars because business-as-usual = death.
@DanielAndrewsMP wants to hit peaceful forest defenders and scientific surveyors in logging coupes with $21K fines / 1yr jail!
Rebels have joined 30+ groups incl. @Alliance_Forest to demand our right to protect some of the most carbon dense forests in the world!
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WHAT HAPPENED TO DEMOCRACY? 🌳🌿
We call on all Victorian MPs to reject the proposed draconian laws which will increase penalties for citizens wishing to protect forests from VicForests’ often unlawful logging practices.
‘WTF is an unauthorised protest, really? Isn’t the whole point of a protest to be disruptive? Protests by definition should not be state-sanctioned. Australian democracy, everyone.’