💌 An urgent appeal from Wayland Prison

Hi, 

As you may know, I received a five-year sentence for making a 20-minute Zoom speech calling for civil disobedience in July. I was not at all involved in any actions or their planning. I was there to explain, as I have done hundreds of times before, why we have to peacefully step up and stop the greatest crime in human history: the decimation of the lives and livelihoods of billions of people by the continued emission of carbon.

My sentence is the longest since the Second World War for peaceful civil disobedience, and the reason is obvious. Stopping the burning of fossil fuels at the speed needed involves challenging the most powerful political and corporate interests. With the rise of a climate denier to the US presidency, this situation has never been more urgent. 

Since founding Extinction Rebellion in 2018, I have been the UK's most successful climate campaigner. I set up the largest climate civil disobedience organisation in the Western world. At the time of my imprisonment, I was doing vital international networking to bring people together and fundraising for the global resistance movement we need to stop the terror that is being imposed upon us.

The world is going to go over 2 °C in the next decade.

Let's be in no doubt about what will happen: appalling suffering and injustice beyond imagination.

At the same time, precisely because of this dire situation, there is enormous potential to build a global revolutionary movement to create new, revitalised democracies as the alternative to the fascism waiting in the wings. This is the most crucial moment in history - and it requires serious money to build solid organisational structures. I am at the centre of these efforts.

I am aiming to raise £50,000 while I’m in prison - and I’m asking for your help.

I will take none of your money for myself. The teams I work with will use all funds for vital work to promote this global strategy and help set up and support national initiatives. I am convinced we can unlock millions in funding as people with money realise we need a bottom-up democratic revolution and want to help people with a track record of creating mass mobilisations. 

This is not the time to pretend this money is just for another campaign. Those days have gone. Think of what you could give and then double it again. Remember, it won’t be worth much in a decade, will it? Give whatever you can and please share this fundraiser with five friends.

I may be in prison for a while, but I am committed to spending this time in my cell, supporting movements in any way I can. This is my life. Thank you so much for your support.

Roger Hallam,
Wayland Prison, UK