George Monbiot’s article (I back saboteurs who have acted with courage and coherence, but I won’t blow up a pipeline. Here’s why, 28 April) is thoughtful, provocative and, for many of us climate activists, raises the dilemma of how to campaign successfully, in light of increasing rightwing backlash and harsh prison sentences for disruptive protest.
If, as Monbiot concludes, “our best hope is to precipitate a social tipping: widening the concentric circles of those committed to systemic change until a critical threshold is reached that flips the status quo”, I fail to understand why he did not mention that on the previous weekend, 60,000 people came to London, under the banner “Unite to survive”. I was there for the four days, engaged in a nonviolent, colourful protest supported by many environmental, international, health, trade union and social justice organisations.
