Israeli forces violated int’l law 262 times in past week (23–29 Jan)

friendsofsyria's avatarFriends of Syria

Israeli forces violated int’l law 262 times in past week (23–29 Jan) Israeli human rights violations: An Israeli soldier fires tear gas at Palestinian protesters during clashes in Hebron

Between 23 and 29 January, Israel committed 262 violations of international law against Palestinians, ranging from freedom of movement to demolition to bodily injury.

reposted from Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)

  • 22 Palestinian civilians wounded, including 4 children and a girl, in the West Bank and Gaza Strip – 16 civilians injured in peaceful protests in the West Bank and one injured with settlers’ fire
  • 5 shootings reported against Palestinian agricultural lands in eastern Gaza Strip
  • During 102 IOF incursions into the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem: 101 civilians arrested, including 11 children and 8 women
  • A water well and a shop demolished and excavators confiscated in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem
  • IOF gave out 13 notices to demolish and stop construction works in houses while a court issued orders…

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update: Gabriel resists extradition as Spain asks 16 yrs more .. he already did 30 yrs!

After about a year and a half in hiding, on January 25, 2020, Gabriel Pombo Da Silva was arrested in Portuguese territory. Gabriel previously spent more than 30 years in prison

With an international arrest warrant for a residual theoretical sentence of over ten years (a personal vendetta converted into a “legal detail”), Gabriel continued to contribute to the anarchist struggle with his writings.

Until We Are All Free..pdf…. click here .. English language
This 28 page collection of writings by Gabriel Pombo da Silva is available here to download..

The zine is written in Gabriel’s amazingly raw, imaginative style and shows why the German and Spanish authorities tried to suppress him forever – Read his words, be inspired and take action!!


 

Gabriel Pombo da Silva is a well-known Galician anarchist militant who has spent more than 30 years in prison. Always at the crossroads of repression, both Spanish and from other European States, for his commitment to the anti-capitalist struggle, he wrote a book during his stay in jail – Diario e ideario de un delincuente -, as well as different booklets – gathered in the book Parte de un appido— and other writings.


updates.. Extradition Resisted

On Monday, January 27, 2020, the trial (*extradition) against our comrade began on Portuguese soil, the first stage during which the following emerged in summary.
  • Portugal has so far accepted the paralysis of extradition to the Spanish state and the defence has about 20 days to add documentation that further supports the importance of non-extradition..
  • The defence has immediately challenged the calculation of the residual penalty that the Spanish State claims to apply to our comrade, namely 16 years! Without going into too much legal detail, it can be seen from the documentation justifying this count, that it is a “legal revenge” (but what state revenge is not?).
  • For the moment, Gabriel remains detained at the Oporto Judicial Police, waiting to appear before the judge more or less in mid-February. He can receive visits every other day from anyone. He is well and he is strong, combative, determined and ironic as always!
On the same morning of Monday, January 27, the houses of Elisa Di Bernardo’s mother, father, sister and brother-in-law were searched with the aim of seizing computer equipment.
The public prosecutor’s office of Brescia issued yet another 270bis [subversive association with purpose of terrorism or subversion of the democratic order] for Elisa and Gabriel accusing them of belonging to a subversive cell with international base and support (shakes earth, shakes!).
This new (but old, crushed and retracted) repressive wave obviously does not facilitate Gabriel’s legal situation and the regime press of the three countries has already done its duty by exalting the close investigative collaboration between Italy, Spain and Portugal.
To journalists, our historical enemies’ puppets, their duty… to us our revolutionary duty (and let each one call it what he wants, je je).
Updates will follow.
Freedom for Gabriel!
Freedom for all!
Long live anarchy!
—————————–
via: insuscettibilediravvedimento

Free and dangerous by Elisa and Gabriel – EN/SP/IT

Wednesday, March 20th, 2019

Ardire, Scripta Manent, Operation Buyo … Do they mean anything to you? These are only a few of the police judicial “operations” that our “clan” has lived on its own skin for being and remaining anarchists to the extreme consequence.We are a nomadic clan that goes from country to country in search of accomplices who practice anarchism without asking for approval or consensus, who act without worrying about the “politically correct” discourse (so much in vogue in our times) that haunts our little shops today. We are also not interested in “aesthetics”, but “ethics”, the practical, the real.

We are looking for an anarchism that dirties our hands, keeps us awake and always on guard (as opposed to any complacency); this anarchism that is not liked by and disturbs the servants of the State, who have not abandoned their efforts to imprison us.

It is not easy to go from one place to another. It’s even more difficult along with our daughter, that little beauty we called Iraultza, and a canine companion that we will never fail to take with us, because she is an integral part of our clan.

Apparently, the Spanish State has not stopped wanting to put me in prison for a “residual sentence” that exists only in its putrid mind and its disgusting papers.

That being how things are, we have decided to live in the shadows, bringing our invisible contribution to all the projects that are of interest to us and with which we feel complicit.

https://publicacionrefractario.files.wordpress.com/2012/12/tortuga-2.jpg?w=300&h=250

..’Resist Compañero.. no jailer beast will stifle your cry for Liberty or stop anti authoritarian actions’‘ Elisa Di Bernardo | Publicacion Refractario

We express all our subversive solidarity for the DESERVING comrades on trial in Italy and the world. We have no declarations to make in the courts of the “gowned” because we don’t give a shit about their theatres and farces, their accusations and acquittals.

https://publicacionrefractario.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/tumblr_mbjim78cmi1qmbt9vo1_1280.jpg

The best way to propagate Anarchy is to live it intensely, not by representing it. We are not for farce or comedy.

There will be no more “communiques” from our clan: We are free and we are dangerous.

For Anarchy!

The nomad-anarchist clan.
Elisa-Gabriel-Iraultza and the quadruped.

Received 18.3.19, and translated to English by Act for freedom now! original in Italian HERE

shared from … https://325.nostate.net/2019/03/20/free-and-dangerous-by-elisa-and-gabriel-enspit/#more-24113

Belmarsh Prisoners get Assange out of Solitary .. More Ethical Than Western Empire..

Published 4 days ago on January 27, 2020 By Caitlin Johnstone at https://thefreedomarticles.com/

Last Updated on January 27, 2020

Belmarsh Prison inmates have revolted in support of WikiLeaks’ founder Julian Assange, who has now been moved out of solitary confinement.

What kind of world do we inhabit when Belmarsh Prison Inmates

prove more ethical than the entire Western Empire? In some refreshingly good news about Julian Assange, WikiLeaks is reporting that its founder has finally been moved out of solitary confinement to a different wing in Belmarsh Prison where he can have normal social interactions with 40 other inmates.

This fantastic news lifts a huge weight from the chests of those of us who’ve been protesting Assange’s cruel and unusual treatment at the hands of an international alliance of governments bent on making a draconian public example of a journalist whose publications exposed US war crimes. Solitary confinement is a form of torture, and a UN Special Rapporteur has confirmed that Assange shows clear symptoms that he is a victim of psychological torture caused by his persecution from coordinated efforts by Washington, London, Stockholm, Canberra and Quito.

Chelsea Manning is back in jail for the 2nd time for refusing to testify against the victimized Julian Assange

So what caused this shift in Assange’s treatment? Did the powerful empire-like alliance loosely centralized around the United States suddenly come to its senses and realize that torturing journalists for telling the truth is the sort of tyrannical abuse that it accuses other governments of perpetrating? Did officials in the British government bow to public pressure from the pro-Assange demonstrations which have been taking place in London month after month and have some faint flickerings of conscience? Did Belmarsh Prison authorities come to their senses after more than a hundred doctors warned that their cruelty was killing the award-winning publisher?

https://thefreedomarticles.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/belmarsh-prison-wikileaks.jpg

Why no. As it turns out, Assange was in fact rescued from the cruelty of this globe-sprawling empire by the concerted protests of high-security prison inmates.

Continue reading “Belmarsh Prisoners get Assange out of Solitary .. More Ethical Than Western Empire..”

Isa Cabanillas, Artist, women’s rights activist, murdered in Ciudad Juárez, border slave city.

By Nélida Tello and David Martinez at Incendiary News Service

On January 25, various feminist collectives, NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations), and community members from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and El Paso, Texas met at the Santa Fe international border crossing to protest the unsolved murder of 26-year-old activist and artist Isabel ‘Isa’ Cabanillas de la Torre.

Isabel was murdered on the dawn of January 18, after being reported missing the day before. Isabel’s body was discovered next to her bike in the designated “safe corridor for women” located in downtown Juarez. She was found with two bullet wounds, one to her chest and one to her head.

Mexican authorities have not yet made any arrest, named suspects, or know the reason for Isabel’s murder. Contradictory rulings on the murder have been provided by the Attorney General’s Office and it’s own women’s department within the office.

Hijas de su Maquilera Madre said that they held the Mexican state responsible for the safety of women and activists in Juarez and Mexico, issuing demands for the highest levels of Mexican authorities, “to open the lines of investigation into Isabel’s femicide.” They also demanded an end to the gun exports from the US to Mexico and an end to impunity for women’s murders.

Demo at the border for Murdered activist, Isabel Cabanillas

Juarez Mayor Armando Cabada enforced a temporary closure of the international border in conjunction with the protest. In an act of empty propaganda, Cabada solely deployed women police officers to monitor the demonstration, a similar tactic seen last year in Mexico City.

Some of the organizers declared that the demonstration was peaceful, pandering to authorities by stating that those who took part in violent actions or destruction of private property were infiltrators.

Hundreds of indignant people marched up the international bridge, rallying against the Mexican government’s inaction to address violence against women. Despite the calls by organizers against property destruction, some demonstrators spray-painted slogans such as ‘Isa Vive (Isa Lives)’ on buildings and structures as they passed.

Continue reading “Isa Cabanillas, Artist, women’s rights activist, murdered in Ciudad Juárez, border slave city.”

Uprising demands freedom for Earth defender Miguel López Vega

Freedom Sought for Miguel López Vega

Published January 28, 2020

Freedom Sought for Miguel López Vega

Miguel López Vega,defender of the Metlapanapa river and popular communicator of the Zacatepec Community Radio and councilor of the Indigenous Government Council of the CNI has been kidnapped by the state. Uprisings and road blocks have ensued in protest.

Miguel López Vega

Nahua communities of the municipality of Juan C Bonilla close the road in protest to the arrest of Miguel López Vega

Miguel López Vega

Santa María Zacatepec closes the federal highway until fellow Miguel López is released.

Communiqué of the Front of Peoples in Defense of Land and Water, of Morelos, Puebla and Tlaxcala FPDTA-MPT:

Mere statements of the use of stones and Molotov bombs in a demonstration cannot imply informal pretrial detention: Criminalization is clear.

Our colleague Miguel López Vega, community representative of Santa María Zacatepec, popular communicator of the Zacatepec Community Radio and councilor of the Indigenous Government Council of the CNI, after being unjustly detained, was denied his right to take the process free on on January 25, 2020 under the pretext that the facts constituting crimes are serious due to the possible use of weapons and explosives.

Continue reading “Uprising demands freedom for Earth defender Miguel López Vega”

Apoyamos lxs presxs de las revueltas.. por ‘refractorio’

Sobre lxs detenidxs por la revuelta de octubre

octubre 28, 2019 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

(Entrada permanente, para ver mas noticias revisar debajo )

Desde la revuelta iniciada el 18 de octubre del 2019 incontables han sido los asesinadxs, detenidos, torturadxs y vejadxs por todas las fuerzas represivas, desde militares, pacos hasta detectives.

Decenas son los asesinadxs y decenas de insurgentes que han perdido sus glóbulos oculares a raíz de los sistemáticos disparos con perdigones y balines a los ojos por parte de la represión en las manifestaciones callejeras.

Los cadáveres de quienes han muerto a raíz de la brutalidad uniformada son dejados en supermercados y calcinados para eliminar cualquier prueba.

La infraestructura de la represión ha vuelto a habilitar momentáneos y esporádicos recintos clandestinos de detención y tortura, hasta ahora el principal ha sido la estación del Metro Baquedano, mientras en regiones ya se rumorean otros inmuebles.

La información abundan y hasta ahora los principales cargos contra los miles de detenidos son por desobediencia al toque de queda, desordenes, incendios, saqueos y porte de artefactos incendiarios.

Desde refractario buscaremos dar cuenta sobre lxs detenidxs, procesadxs y secuestradxs bajo el contexto aun en marcha de la revuelta de octubre, sus testimonios, procesos y las distintas iniciativas que surjan.

Para enviar información, no dude en escribirnos a Publicacionrefractario( arroba) riseup.net

¡Porque han transformado el mundo en una cárcel….nuestra lucha continua hasta que no exista ninguna cárcel en este mundo!

¡Solidaridad con lxs detenidxs y procesadxs por la revuela!

¡A sacar a nuestrxs compañerxs de las prisiones!


VER NOTICIAS SOBRE DETENIDXS Y PROCESADXS POR LA REVUELTA DE OCTUBRE: 
ACA Categorías:Uncategorized

Ultima Hora: Portugal. Ha Terminado la clandestinidad del compañero anarquista Gabriel Pombo Da Silva

enero 28, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

Después de año y medio en clandestinidad, esta mañana sábado 25 de Enero, han detenido en territorio portugués al compañero Gabriel Pombo Da Silva. Con orden de búsqueda y captura internacional por supuesto pendiente de pena de más de diez años (una venganza personal convertida con «detalles» jurídicos), Gabriel continuaba dando batalla y aportando su propia contribución a la lucha anárquica con sus textos. Actualmente se encuentra encerrado en una celda de la policía judicial de Oporto en espera de comparecer este lunes en el juzgado donde se debatirá su posible extradición al Estado español. Leer más… Categorías:Detenciones

Concepción. Dos acusados de incendiar la sede de la UDI

enero 27, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

El 22 de enero la BIPE (Brigada de Investigaciones Policiales Especiales) consiguió detener a una pareja de 24 y 19 de años acusados de incendiar una sede de la UDI el 7 de noviembre.

Durante una nueva jornada de protesta durante la revuelta, la sede del partido de ultraderecha fue incendiada. Meses más tarde gracias a fantasías policiales, la manipulación de imágenes de video fueron detenidos y acusados dos jóvenes.

¿Culpables o inocentes? ¡Solidaridad con todxs lxs prisionerxs que atacan al Estado y sus representantes! Categorías:Detenciones Etiquetas: Detenidos por la revuelta de octubre 2019

Magallanes. Detenido por ataque incendiario a AFP

enero 27, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

El 10 de enero los bastardos detectives de la BIRO, detuvieron en Punta Arenas al autor del incendio que calcino por completo la sucursal de AFP Habitat el 12 de noviembre pasado, durante una nueva jornada de disturbios durante la revuelta.

El acusado de incendio quedo en prisión preventiva, mientras dure la investigación.

En todas partes: ¡A propagar la revuelta y a sacar a nuestrxs presxs! Categorías:Detenciones Etiquetas: Detenidos por la revuelta de octubre 2019

La Serena. “Sepan que mi ímpetu y compromiso con la comunidad de lucha siguen intactos” Palabras de un prisionerx de la revuelta

enero 26, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

[Sacado de la iniciativa “Apañe carcelario «Vida sin barrotes»]

Cárcel de Huachalalume, La Serena

A lxs compañerxs en la calle:

Comprender los costos acorde a nuestro objetivo de cambiar la sociedad, debiese ser uno de los primeros pasos en el camino revolucionario, el inicio es la militancia política y es que hoy más que nunca, la cárcel, en específico la prisión preventiva es el arma disuasiva del Estado para desmovilizar y desarticular al movimiento en su totalidad. Ya somos más de 2500 presxs de la revuelta y no todxs se encuentran bien. Algunos hemos tenido suerte y astucia para desenvolvernos, pero muchos otrxs han sido aplastadxs en sus módulos y es que la gran mayoría de la población penal, no logra entender como ponemos en riesgo nuestras vidas sin recibir dinero a cambio. Es en este valor donde radica el espíritu revolucionario, la lucha no es un negocio y aquí es donde pongo énfasis: lo que queremos es una vida digna. Leer más… Categorías:Comunicado de prisioneros Etiquetas: Detenidos por la revuelta de octubre 2019

De Italia a Chile. Palabras de Juan Sorroche para Marcelo Villarroel

enero 26, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

Para Marcelo, ¡con toda la complicidad de la lucha!

¡Me llegaron tus palabras de coraje y solidaridad que me llenaron de emoción y simpatía!

Hoy respondo (antes tenía la censura en las cartas) a tus palabras porque creo que es importante establecer lazos de complicidades entre nosotros los anarquistas de todo el mundo.

Como creo que es esencial tener una visión de compañerismo internacionalista y de digna resistencia tanto con las palabras como con las acciones.

Querido compañero, hoy mis palabras y mi corazón palpitan juntos con el tuyo, con las luchas que se han alzado con coraje y dignidad contra el gobierno de chile y que se han transformado desde la simplicidad de una lucha por el pasaje del metro, hasta el incendiar y atacar todo aquello que oprime a lo largo de chile. Pero no puedo negar que mi estima y mi simpatía va a l@s compañer@s anarquistas que siempre han estado ahí en la lucha callejera tanto de día como de noche, en el pasado y en el presente. Leer más… Categorías:Comunicado de prisioneros Etiquetas: juan sorroche

Detenido por porte de bomba molotov en plaza dignidad

enero 26, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

El 15 de noviembre del 2019, varios son los focos de disturbio en pleno centro de Santiago, las cámaras de fotógrafos “independientes” sumados con los registros policiales permitieron armar un buen set fotográfico de un encapuchado que participo durante los disturbios aquel día.

Tiempo después, en Enero, los bastardos de la policía de investigaciones consiguieron detener al joven de 19 años acusados de haber portado, fabricado y lanzado cocteles molotovs durante noviembre. Leer más… Categorías:Detenciones Etiquetas: Detenidos por la revuelta de octubre 2019

Sobre lxs presxs de la revuelta y el concepto de “prisión política”

enero 25, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

Julio Cortés Morales

 “Prisionero político: una persona encarcelada por sus creencias o acciones políticas”

(Diccionario Oxford)

“Si quieres saber lo que es la libertad, pregúntale al preso, no al Estado”

(The Ex, Una celda es una celda, 1989)

La gran cantidad de personas que han estado o siguen en prisión desde el 18 de octubre del 2019 por delitos asociados a la revuelta popular ha llevado a reactivar la discusión sobre si estas personas, que se calcula serían más de 2000, son o no son “presxs políticxs”[1].

Tradicionalmente hay quienes han señalado que “todo presx es un presx políticx”, atendiendo a que es la propia estructura social del capitalismo la que genera una población “excedentaria” que al quedar fuera del acceso al sistema formal de trabajo asalariado se ve impulsada a delinquir de manera habitual como parte de su estrategia de sobrevivencia, suministrando así la mayor parte de la “población penal” que llena las cárceles del país.

Además, el sistema penal y carcelario de Chile y cualquier país es definido y organizado en base a decisiones políticas que se expresan tanto en la consagración de delitos y penas (Código Penal y diversas leyes penales especiales), como en las garantías penales y procesales que se contienen en la Constitución Política y el Código Procesal Penal.  Así, por ejemplo, hay claramente definiciones políticas profundas -aunque no siempre explícitas- cuando se decide concesionar algunas cárceles a privados, o cuando se decide que el hurto-falta del artículo 494 bis del Código Penal tiene como límite media Unidad Tributaria Mensual en vez de una completa[2]. Leer más… Categorías:Reflexiones Etiquetas: Detenidos por la revuelta de octubre 2019

Detenidos Rodrigo y Christian por porte de bomba molotov en plaza dignidad

enero 25, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

El 03 de enero del 2020 fueron detenidos los hermanos Rodrigo y Christian Sanhueza Zuñiga acusados de portar bombas molotov en las cercanías de Plaza Dignidad.

Ambos fueron formalizados bajo ley de control de armas, siendo ingresados a la cárcel/empresa Santiago 1, al modulo 14 junto con el resto de prisioneros de la revuelta.

¡A sacar a nuestrxs compañerxs de las prisiones! Categorías:Detenciones Etiquetas: Detenidos por la revuelta de octubre 2019

Palabras de Marcelo Villarroel para la Jornada Anticarcelaria en Puente Alto

enero 25, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

«No dormir ni deskanzar esto es la guerra social;

seguirá corriendo sangre también ellxs pagarán.

Prepararse a resistir kon templanza y decisión;

Difundir nuestras ideas, reforzar la konvixión.»

A través de estas palabras ke kombaten el aislamiento del encierro, el silencio y konfrontan todo sentimiento de derrota voy saludando esta nueva iniciativa de solidaridad directa kon kienes vivimos el castigo del encierro por asumir una opción de vida en lucha konstante kontra todo el mundo falso ke nos ofrece el kapital y su mundo podrido ke se kae a pedazos.

Hablo desde un encierro prolongado y agotador, resistiendo la vida plana de la prisión y su agobiante monotonía komo parte de un kastigo impuesto por ser enemigo del estado y de toda autoridad junto a cientxs de kompañerxs ke a través del tiempo han debido vivir y resistir cirkunstancias similares. Leer más… Categorías:Comunicado de prisioneros Etiquetas: Marcelo Villarroel

Informativo carcelario y jurídico sobre lxs prisionerxs de la revuelta /Coordinadora 18 de octubre

enero 24, 2020 publicacionrefractarioDeja un comentario

(Primera quincena Enero 2020)

A continuación un breve resumen de las últimas novedades en torno a la situación carcelaria y judicial de algunxs de lxs prisionerxs de la revuelta:

*La decena de prisioneros políticos de la revuelta que habían sido trasladados desde Santiago 1 a los módulos de la ex – Penitenciaria, nuevamente fueron trasladados por personal de gendarmería, esta vez de vuelta a la cárcel Santiago 1, junto con la mayoría de lxs presxs de la revuelta.

*El 13 de enero del 2020 se realizó una audiencia para revisar la medida cautelar de prisión preventiva contra lxs menores Joaquín Cáceres y Sofía Arévalo, acusados del incendio a la municipalidad de Buin el 4 de noviembre. La justicia rechazo las peticiones de la defensa que buscaba el arresto domiciliario, manteniendo la prisión preventiva de Joaquín y Sofía en las cárceles de niñxs del Estado Chileno, tristemente conocidas como SENAME. Leer más…

XR: the case for deliberative democracy

Citizens Assemblies set up by the government are obviously just a way of controlling protests. But they have also been shown to provide wise and often revolutionary advice. ( e.g. in Ireland, France, Venezuela) . If they had randomly chosen members, access to expert information, autonomy and collective decisions these assemblies could be a leap forward from the farce of parliamentary ‘democracy’.

 

January 24, 2020 · 8 min read Image by Lambeth XR.

Climate Assembly UK began last week. It’s a good start, says Alex Bradbury, but does not meet XR’s third demand for a Government-commissioned Citizens’ Assembly

‘Extinction Rebellion needs to find ways of reaching the people who think we’re some sort of weird cult.’

This remark, made by a member of the Extinction Rebellion (XR) Citizens’ Assembly Working Group, is met by a spontaneous flurry of jazz hands from everyone in the small Kings College London meeting room. No, we’re not all frustrated musical theatre performers; waving ‘jazz hands’ are used in XR, and other activist groups, to express agreement during a group discussion. I can’t resist pointing out the irony of our reaction – we’re all agreeing we need to be less cult-like by raising our hands in unison and waving them about. Everyone laughs, but it strikes me that this points to a deeper challenge in our work.

There are people who feel excluded by XR’s culture, but the democratic process we want to promote aims at radical inclusion. After all, we’re calling on the government to create and be led by a Citizens’ Assembly on Climate and Ecological Justice – a process that would put national decision-making in the hands of ordinary people from all walks of life. So it seems to me that reaching more people is actually about making a better case for something we are already calling for.

Most people with only a passing acquaintance of XR know that we are calling on the government to firstly declare an emergency, and secondly to halt biodiversity loss and reach net zero emissions by 2025. But many don’t know much about our demand for a Citizens’ Assembly. This is a randomly selected group of people from across the UK who will learn in-depth about the climate and ecological emergency, work through their differences, and determine how we get to net zero greenhouse gas emissions in a socially just way.

Perhaps the most well-known examples of Citizens’ Assemblies are those that took place in Ireland in recent years. They paved the way for long-overdue reforms on topics such as abortion, gay marriage and even climate change. But there is also a large-scale assembly on climate with unprecedented powers taking place in France right now – initiated by President Macron in the wake of the Yellow Vest protests. In fact, there’s been a global groundswell of interest around deliberative democracy over the past couple of decades. From Australia to Poland, groups of randomly selected residents have been helping determine policy for years.

Democracy beyond the ballot box

Academics, activists and even some politicians are cottoning on to the idea that democracy doesn’t have to stop at the ballot box. But they face an uphill struggle in convincing the wider population. A 2018 Pew Center survey conducted across 27 countries found that 51 per cent of people were dissatisfied with how democracy was working in their country. People still firmly believe in the idea of democracy – the trouble is, we usually have quite a narrow experience of what that can mean in practice. For most, it starts and ends with elections.

We’re trapped: we don’t like the system we currently have, but we have trouble imagining anything beyond it. This is where Citizens’ Assemblies come in; they directly address some of the limitations of electoral politics.

Although we call it representative democracy, our parliament is far from representative demographically. Only 34 per cent of MPs are women, as opposed to 51 per cent in the population at large. For ethnic minorities, the figures are 10 per cent and 16 percent respectively. What’s more, elections incentivise politicians to focus on issues that will help them get re-elected. This means thorny decisions in areas such as climate change are more likely to be kicked into the long grass.

Finally, the two-sided British Parliamentary style has such a hold over our imagination that we have come to see adversarial debate as the only legitimate way of reaching decisions. All too often we see the discussion move away from substance and descend into party-political point scoring and personal jibes.

Citizens’ Assemblies use random selection and stratified sampling to ensure that the people in the room truly reflect the country we live in. Like politicians, assembly members have access to advice and expertise. But unlike politicians, they don’t have to think about their political career or their allegiance to a particular party. They are free to consider the issues based on their values and their communities.

In this way, Citizens’ Assemblies are able to make difficult judgement calls and provide politicians with a mandate to tackle complex, long-term issues. Lastly, all of the deliberations take place in small, professionally facilitated groups. This is where the magic really happens – where call centre workers talk to CEOs, where an Orkney Island farmer engages with a stay-at-home parent from Oldham. Rather than shouting each other down with rhetorical flourishes, they are encouraged to really listen to one another and find common ground.

The good news is that some MPs are beginning to get on board with the idea. A group of Parliamentary Select Committees have set up Climate Assembly UK, which launches in Birmingham this Friday. There, 110 participants will deliberate on measures to cut emissions in areas such as transport, agriculture and domestic energy. It looks set to be a well-run assembly, and it’s a great opportunity to showcase deliberative democracy in the UK. But this is a long way from meeting our third demand.

Crucially, this wasn’t commissioned by Government but by backbenchers from the last Parliament (the composition of the Select Committees has changed following the recent general election). So there’s no guarantee that the newly formed committees will take the recommendations of Climate Assembly UK forward. It could end up having no impact on policy at all.

Most concerningly, assembly participants are working to the UK’s current 2050 net zero emissions target, with no scope to adjust it. That timeframe gives us a 50/50 chance of keeping global heating under 1.5 degrees. Beyond that we’re looking at climate catastrophe – unliveable cities, widespread droughts and annual heatwaves. It’s an insane gamble to take on our children’s futures.

People power

XR is already walking the walk on deliberative democracy, for instance through its use of People’s Assemblies. Despite the confusingly similar name, these aren’t the same thing as Citizens’ Assemblies. People’s Assemblies are informal gatherings of self-selected people who make decisions on group actions. Unlike Citizens’ Assemblies, they don’t include a structured learning phase. But they are really effective at tapping into collective wisdom, identifying areas of consensus and generating a sense of ownership. A handful of conventions ensure that every voice is heard. For instance, we use jazz hands to make sure that the person speaking is not drowned out or cut off. And if a person raises their hand and they have not yet spoken, they jump immediately to the front of the queue.

XR is also beginning to use other forms of deliberative democracy, such as randomly selecting members to serve in decision-making bodies. During the recent October Rebellion, for instance, decisions at each of the roadblocks were made by councils whose members were chosen by lot from those camping at the site. But interestingly, even within the organisation, the use of deliberative democracy sometimes meets with resistance.

People can be sceptical of the legitimacy or expertise of randomly selected XR rebels who are nominated to make decisions. This isn’t surprising given our deeply entrenched and conservative understanding of democracy, as well as a tendency to slip into hierarchical thinking – and XR isn’t immune to this. But the evidence overwhelmingly shows that where people are given the space to learn about, investigate and deliberate on a topic – and where they’re genuinely empowered to feed into decisions – they make responsible and informed choices.

It’s time the Government realised this. They need to step up to the plate and commission a Citizens’ Assembly with teeth. It’s what we need to unleash the political will to address the climate and ecological crisis.

Alex Bradbury is a member of the Citizens’ Assembly Working Group at Extinction Rebellion.