• Banner: Spring Rebellion '22, 8-22 Oct, A festival of civil disobedience

SPRING REBELLION '22

EXTINCTION REBELLION VICTORIA

October's two weeks of rebellion combined the disruption of XR Victoria’s Just Stop It! campaign in March 2022 with the artistic and movement-building actions from the XR Victoria’s Spring Rebellion in 2019 and Autumn Rebellion in 2021. Rebels took on actions in regional Victoria as well as in the Cities of Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat. See XR Vic Spring Rebellion ‘22; two weeks putting the climate crisis back in the news

The rebellion began with outreach, training, and the exciting smaller actions that build the movement and help new rebels gain confidence. The success of Spring Rebellion ’22 was thanks to hundreds of rebels, coming together through local and special interest groups, and as individuals, to take action and rebel for a safer future. 

In the run up to the Spring Rebellion, XR joined forest groups in a survey that found 60 endangered Greater Gliders in an area earmarked for logging by VicForests.

Nighttime survey for gliders in the Toolangi forest

The first official action of the fortnight was in Geelong, where local rebels had been opposing Viva's push for a damaging new gas projects proposed for Victoria’s shoreline -  a gas import terminal in Corio Bay. 

During the Spring Rebellion, Extinction Rebellion activists made international news when they glued on to Picasso painting at the NGV.

Amongst the many actions during week 1 of the the Spring Rebellion, rebels:

  • scaled a massive pile of Chep pallets at the Dandenong South mill where the pallets are produced from sources that contribute to the destruction of Victoria's forests 
  • visited financial corporations profiting from environmental destruction, including the Futures Fund, where three rebels glued their hands to the building's front entrance 
  • joined our allies from 350.org Australia at the Commonwealth Bank's AGM at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Rebels in koala costumes hanging from giant tripods

During week 2, rebels:

  • joined with activists from a number of key climate groups to swarm the city for climate justice 
  • morphed into Koalas hanging on high tripodsat the Bourke Street office of VicForests, along with climate and forest activists from around Victoria demanding an immediate end to logging native forests and a just transition for forest workers 
  • carried out a ‘dirty action’ at the Origin Energy office highlighting the company's complicity in the damage happening on their own doorstep and on their watch
  • took to the streets for a Climate March in Ballarat

... and much more.

On the middle weekend, XR Vic rebels were in Melbourne's Carlton Gardens for talks and training , art works and family-friendly activities. Rebels took part in Melbourne’s Fringe Festival parade in Lygon Street with a float featuring Blinky, the burnt koala (representing the koalas that died as a result of the Black Summer bushfires and corruption in politics) accompanied by Miss Beehave, the giant bee, The Murdoch Lies synchronised readers' group and other colourful rebels.

Rebels in costume at the Lygon Street Fringe Festival parade

The Spring Festival finished with Civil DISCO-bedience - disruptive dancing in the streets of Fitzroy, Melbourne. See more images from the Spring Rebellion '22.

Look for XRVic actions on our Events page