Extinction Rebellion Calgary is a group of concerned and hopeful citizens of the earth who aim to use civil disobedience and non-violent action to protest climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and the real and imminent risk of social and ecological collapse.
Extinction Rebellion (XR) is an international movement that began in the U.K. with a declaration of rebellion on October 31, 2018 and is now a global phenomenon that includes Calgary!
Calgary’s XR group was started in part thanks to Ann Cognito, who is currently walking to Ottawa to raise awareness about the ecological crisis.
Inspired by grassroots movements such as the suffragettes, Ghandi’s Satyagraha, and the civil rights movement in the U.S., XR wants to rally support worldwide around a common sense of urgency to tackle climate breakdown. To do this, a number of activists in the movement accept the possibility of arrest and imprisonment, while others do the work of supporting these activists and ensuring that the movement is sustainable in all ways—environmental, emotional and practical.
XR promotes disruption and civil disobedience because we believe it is necessary. However, despite the fact that XR aims to disrupt, we believe that non-violence is always the most effective and moral choice. XR organizes in small groups, and these groups are connected in a complex web that is constantly evolving as we grow and learn.